KaaSheGaaBaaWeak | Eladia Smoke is Anishinaabekwe from Obishikokaang | Lac Seul First Nation, with family roots in Alderville First Nation, Winnipeg, and Toronto. Eladia has worked in architecture since 2002, and founded Smoke Architecture as principal architect in 2014. She was a Master Lecturer at Laurentian’s McEwen School of Architecture from 2016 to 2022. Her career includes principal architect with Architecture 49 in Thunder Bay, and architect with Prairie Architects in Winnipeg. Eladia has served on the RAIC’s Indigenous Task Force since its inception, 2015, and is on the Unceded international team of Indigenous designers and architects; led by Douglas Cardinal, this team represented Canada at the 2018 Venice Biennale.

Current professional work includes community centre, office, and multi-family residential projects, working with First Nation clients. Past professional projects completed in Winnipeg with Prairie Architects include the Aboriginal People’s Television Network studios, Migiizi Agamik Aboriginal Student Centre at University of Manitoba, and Makoonsag Intergenerational Learning Centre.

Eladia served as a committee and council member with Manitoba Association of Architects from 2011-2014. Eladia also served as a board member of Urban Shaman Gallery of Contemporary Aboriginal Art from 2010-2014, and participated in the first all- Aboriginal showcase of architecture there in 2014: Maandaw ‘Igaan Mazinibii’igan.