Don't Panic She Has Bannock: How Sharon Bond-Hog Started Kekuli Cafe.

When your dreams become reality, your potential reveals itself. Or: When dreams become reality? Don't Panic We Have Bannock

Anybody who knows me well, knows that I have struggled to connect with my Indigenous culture. My grandmother attended St. Mary’s Indian Residential School, and my mother was apart of the 60s scoop. This caused a great separation between me and my Indigenous culture. I don’t fish. I don’t hunt. I don’t know all the transformation stories. But, I’m eager to learn and I appreciate the individuals who make the culture accessible.

Reconnecting with my cultural roots inspired me to create a podcast focused on people who represent what it means to engage in things that are bigger than themselves. Similarly, creating a podcast gave me the opportunity to explore the minds of First Nations leaders in my community such as Chief David Jimmie, Muralist Carrielynn Victor, Elder Eddie Gardner, and business owner of Kekuli Cafe, Sharon Bond-Hogg. Without this transition in my life, I would have missed out on learning from each of their stories.

Sharon Bond-Hogg is an example of what it means to engage in something bigger than herself. She had a passion for making bannock accessible to everyone, and it was an excellent opportunity for her to amplify Indigenous cuisine. Although Sharon had always dreamed of becoming her own boss, she admitted to battling with self-doubt. Bond remembers asking herself, “Am I doing this right? Is this going to work?”. Despite many challenges ahead, her business finally took off and she has expanded her business to a second location. Sharon believes that you will never know what you are truly capable of until you try. She also notes, creating a dream into a reality takes hard work, but work that is absolutely rewarding. The road to success may not be easy an easy one to travel, but everything in life that is worth having requires challenges.

I am a proud First Nations man who is proud to uplift other First Nations Peoples stories. Far too long, have our voices been silenced and our accomplishments looked down upon. In this episode, Sharon shares her tips on how to start a business, how she started Kekuli Cafe, and what her future plans are for the restaurant. If you haven’t already, I recommend eating at Kekuli Cafe and trying the Saskatoon Berry Bannock or the Indian Taco salad. I am not exaggerating when I say: It. Is. To. Die For.

You can listen to the podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and watch the interview on YouTube.