$11 earrings on Temu shock Algonquin beader who says they're her design

An Algonquin beader says one of her designs was stolen and sold on a massive online retailer without her knowledge for nearly a year. 

Melody Markle saw a post from a fellow beader warning artists about copies of their designs appearing on retail websites without permission. 

So Markle went onto Temu, an online retailer (similar to Etsy or Amazon) that offers products through third-party sellers, to see if any of her work was there. 

"I was scrolling and then I came across what looked exactly like my design," said Markle, who's from Long Point First Nation (Winneway) in western Quebec. 

"At first I was pretty surprised … and then I kind of got a little bit angry just looking at it deeper." 

It's an unfortunately common experience for Indigenous artists according to Meika Ellis, a lawyer specializing in intellectual property who's based in Ottawa. Ellis, who is Gwich'in from Fort McPherson N.W.T., is not representing Markle nor did she comment specifically on Temu or its policies. 

The path to removing stolen designs is complicated and potentially expensive, Ellis said. Most people opt not to hire a lawyer, if they're even aware that it's an option. 

"It's incredibly easy to infringe [upon rights] and it's much more difficult to enforce one's rights," she said.

Another problem, Ellis said, is that artists don't always know their rights.

Canadian Artists Representation (CARFAC) shares information about how artists can protect themselves and what to do if they believe their work has been stolen, including through their Indigenous protocols. The organization also provides education to non-Indigenous artists and businesses about respectful collaboration.

Larissa Derosiers, from Couchiching First Nation in northwestern Ontario, is a program director for CARFAC and said copied designs "cheapen the value" of Indigenous works. 

Markle sells her chickadee earrings for between $300 and $350. The pair on Temu sell for about $11.

The price of Markle's earrings includes the cost of natural materials, like quills and caribou fur, which she harvests and dyes herself, as well as items traded with other crafters across North America, she said. It also reflects the time she's invested in her work and the skill she's cultivated over time.

Derosiers said she's happy to see beaders know the value of their creations, and she's disappointed to see it undercut by online retailers.