From a Little Box of Beads: How Chloe Buffalo Reclaimed Her Culture and Independence

by John Wirth, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

(ANNews) – ​Chloe Buffalo is the founder of Van Isle Bead Supply, she is an artist, and beadworker from Samson Cree Nation who now lives in British Columbia. Her mission is simple: remove barriers that prevent Indigenous people from accessing their artistic heritage. 

​“That was my problem when I started beading,” she says, pointing to a box of high-quality dentalium on her table. “I feel like this is such an expensive box for one, right? I wanted to make it easy and accessible to as many people as possible.”

​Her journey to building that accessible space meant plunging into the unknown. After graduating high school, she left the reserve alongside her mother to pursue higher education, holding onto hopes for a stable future without fully knowing what lay ahead.

“It was a huge adjustment,” She recalls. “So when I first moved out here, I was with my mom. I had just graduated high school and she wanted me to get out of the Rez—for the both of us.”  

Both mother and daughter were accepted into university, though Chloe’s initial path required a pivot. ​“I applied to Vancouver Island University in the Bachelor of Arts program,” she says. “I did it for a year to realize that it wasn’t for me. But I’m glad that I did that, because I wouldn’t be where I am today without it.”

With grit and determination, Chloe pivoted toward a path that directly supported her entrepreneurial ambitions. ​“I’m graduating with my business diploma in accounting,” she says proudly. “I started school when I started the business, so the business grew with me as I learned in school.”

​While her business knowledge came from the classroom, her artistic foundation traces back to her late kokum (grandmother), who first taught her to create with her hands. ​“My grandma was the one who taught me to bead, but I kind of just left it at that,” Chloe says. “And then she passed away when I was 18, and I lost all that connection to my culture.”

​Before that loss, her kokum passed down a rich legacy of handiwork and tradition. ​“Even sewing—I made a lot of pillows as a kid for whatever reason,” she says with a smile. “My late kokum used to make star blankets and moccasins.”

​Looking back, Chloe recognizes the depth of the cultural gift her grandmother gave her. A strong foundation that would eventually guide her back to her roots. ​“You don’t appreciate it as much when you’re a kid, right?” she reflects. “Until you look back and realize you were really lucky.”

Following the loss of her grandmother and the move west, Chloe found herself navigating both a new environment and the life-altering transition into motherhood. Following the birth of her first son, she faced the heavy weight of postpartum depression—a period that ultimately pushed her back toward her craft.

“When I started beading, it started as more of a purpose because at that time, I just had my first son and I was going through postpartum depression.”  She shares. “I was just finding purpose again in adjusting to being a new mother.”

Rebuilding that artistic connection was a long process of gathering the fragments of what her kokum had taught her years earlier. “It took a long time—I moved from Alberta to BC, and finally I picked it up again from the just the littlest knowledge I could remember and I started growing off of that,” She says.

While sewing star blankets and moccasins was in her blood, practical constraints forced her to adapt. Beading offered an accessible, low-barrier entry point during a period of quiet recovery. “I picked up beading because I thought it would be easier,” Chloe recalls. “I didn’t have a sewing machine or the room for it. I liked my little beads that fit into a little box, you know? You can bring it wherever you go.”

What began as a portable coping mechanism in a small space soon transformed into a foundation for personal healing. “I’ve finally found my independence,” she reflects. “Throughout my life, it felt like I was always depending on someone for something. When I realized I might have to rely on others again, it triggered severe anxiety because I had no control over the situation. But once I took control of those areas, my happiness naturally fell into place.”

 With a solid business foundation under her feet and a thriving beadwork operation, Chloe is looking toward her next creative evolution. Beading opened the door to financial and personal freedom, but her first artistic love is still calling her back.

​“Sewing has always been on my heart because that’s what came naturally,” she says. “I’d love to get completely back into it, even though this is what I do. Beading gave me the access to do basically anything I wish. It’s all available to me.” 

Chloe Buffalo’s story is powerful because it wasn’t for money, that came after. It was about reclaiming agency and power over her life, honouring her grandparents, and blazing her own path. What started in a small box of beads flourished into a life defined by freedom and purpose. 

​”It’s my business, and I’m just happy and grateful that I can do all these things. It’s been half vacation and half work. It feels really nice to experience this level of inner empowerment—something I’ve never had before.”

If one would like to order supplies, learn from or be part of Chloe’s growing community visit Van Isle Bead Supply. She maintains an active group page of more than 6 thousand beadworkers online. She also frequently has market stalls in Indigenous market halls, recently in Maskwacis, Alberta and Duncan, Vancouver Island, BC.