Aug. 21, 2025
Ten years in the making, Oaka Morii has been a “dream come true” for owner and lead artist Mone’t Ernste.
Now 26, Ernste’s beginnings with the business trace back to her high school years.
“I would draw on my friends a lot with sharpies and ballpoint pens,” Ernste said. “After a little time of that going on, my parents were like, ‘Hey, maybe we shouldn’t be drawing on everyone at school.’”
Henna proved to be a suitable alternative. After Ernst experimented with it at home, her father signed her up for the Turner County Fair where she first started doing henna tattoos. That was in 2015. Following her graduation, Ernste worked as a florist for eight years at a shop in Sioux Falls.
Her experience in both of these worlds eventually inspired her to start Oaka Morii, which she has committed to full time as of this year. She sells pressed floral art, wood-burned pieces and henna tattoo services. The name Oaka Morii itself alludes to some of the inspiration for her work.
“’Oaka’ just came from oak trees because my dad is a landscape architect and all of my work leads back to flowers, plants and trees,” Ernste said.
According to Ernste, the term Morii describes the desire to capture or preserve a fleeting or ephemeral experience.
“I feel that all of my art preserves things in some way,” she said.
All freehand designs, the inspiration for her henna tattoos comes from “everything around her.” Her most popular designs for children tend to be flowers, while adults tend to stick to traditional mandala patterns.
“There are a lot of different things I do, but it all kind of comes back to flowers,” Ernste said. “My henna is usually designed with flowers in it.”
She draws on her experience as a florist to create the pressed floral designs. Typically used to preserve flowers from weddings or funerals, the process begins two to three days after an event. Once she receives the flowers, the flattening process takes roughly four to six weeks.
After that, she reassembles the blooms and color corrects where needed. She places her design in a frame and waits for client approval. To ensure the flowers stay protected, she uses a special art glass as well as custom solid-wood frames.
“I always wanted to have my own business and for it to be art,” Ernste said. “It’s just a very full-circle moment for me now.”
Ernste will be attending the 605 Made Night Market from 3 to 9 p.m. Saturday in the Raven parking lot on the southeast corner of Sixth Street and Phillips Avenue.
605 Made is co-organized by Sew Doggy Boutique, Knotty Gnome Variety & Salvage and SiouxFalls.Business. It’s sponsored by The First National Bank in Sioux Falls, Active Generations and Dakota Business Finance.
Follow the 605 Made Night Market on Facebook here.
For a full guide to what you’ll find at the 605 Made Night Market, visit below.
Here’s your guide to shopping, food, entertainment at Saturday’s 605 Made Night Market
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