Colonialism Skateboards team rider, Joe Buffalo, is from Maskwacis, Alberta (Samson Cree Nation). He has been skateboarding most of his life and is not slowing down anytime soon. It’s important to recognize that Joe attended Residential Schools for five years. Residential Schools are now known for genocide. Joe survived this destructive institution, and a lot of Indigenous children didn’t. His first memory of skateboarding was seeing his older cousins building launch ramps and watching them skate. Skateboarding has helped Joe overcome adversity throughout his life by helping him focus on a positive activity that not only kept him busy but also challenged him to grow.
This pro-model is Joe’s traditional name in Cree syllabics, written in graffiti. His name is Dancer, which is spelled onîmihitow in Cree. Joe received this name through a Sundance ceremony.
Traditional Indigenous names are given by either an Elder, the community, or family members through a process of a ceremony or other cultural events like feasts, round dances, sweat lodges, or a cultural ceremony. Traditional naming ceremonies have been going on since time immemorial. This traditional way of naming was disrupted through colonization on Turtle Island. Colonial governments sent out government agents or Indian Agents to communities to collect names in Indigenous communities. Through this process, names would be misspelled, and surnames were handed out to individuals who didn’t have English names. In some cases, Indian Agents’ names were written down in these census records instead of the traditional names of individuals in the community. Traditional names were also lost during Residential Schools, day schools, sixties scoop, and now, the current child and welfare system.
This skateboard graphic is an example of reclaiming traditional names for Indigenous people like Joe Buffalo. This is an important step in decolonizing and reclaiming cultural and traditional practices which were forbidden until recently.
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC) released its Final Report in 2015. The Final Report included Call to Action and the #17 Call to Action states:
“We call upon all levels of government to enable residential school Survivors and their families to reclaim names changed by the residential school system by waiving administrative costs for a period of five years for the name-change process and the revision of official identity documents, such as birth certificates, passports, driver’s licenses, health cards, status cards, and social insurance numbers” (Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada).
The graffiti artwork was created by Ta’kiid Aayaa (Corey Bulpitt), Haida from the NaiKun Raven Clan. He has done artwork for companies such as Facebook, Adidas, and Footlocker and created many public totem poles and murals including spaces such as the National Gallery of Canada and Paris, France. He works in many mediums such as gold, wood, glass, stone, and painting and has been a part of the traditional Haida tattoo revival. He is known for his woodcarving and large spraypainted pieces which are done freehand with aerosol using no projectors, sometimes on multiple-story high buildings. He often blends traditional with contemporary, but the knowledge of the classic forms almost always becomes a focal point and the reason for the success of his contemporary work.
Colonialism Skateboards support all skateboarders in their pursuit to better themselves mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
Resources:
Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action – Gov. (n.d.).
Retrieved from https://.bc.ca/assets/gov/british-columbians-our-governments/indigenous- people/aboriginal-peoples-documents/calls_to_action_english2.pdf
Colonialism is a skateboard company based out of Regina, Saskatchewan in Treaty 4 (1874) territory. Our primary objective is to educate the public on elements of the history and culture of Indigenous peoples (First Nations, Metis, and Inuit) in Canada through our love for skateboarding. For decades, efforts have been made to rewrite and even conceal the history of colonization in what we now call ‘Canada’. Indigenous peoples have all too often been depicted in a negative light, frequently labelled as ‘savages’ or ‘free loaders’ in the context of Canada’s historical development. Meanwhile, European settlers or colonizers have often been described as our nation’s great ‘pioneers,’ and the nature of colonization in which they took part is less frequently (if at all) recognized and discussed. Similarly overlooked is the legacy of historical colonial policies and legislation – including the Indian Act, residential school system, reserve system, script, and the sixties scoop – and how they continue to affect various aspects of Indigenous peoples’ lives.
Grip not included. Stain colour may vary.
Imported.
Michael Langan is an Indigenous artist from Cote First Nation, Treaty 4 Territory, who is committed to educating people through creative renderings of our colonial past. After moving to Regina almost 20 years ago, Micheal immersed himself in the local skateboard community, of which he has remained a prominent member ever since. Last spring, Micheal launched his own skateboard company – Colonialism Skateboards – to draw attention to, and have people engage with, complex and untelling aspects of Indigenous Canadian history and culture. By combining skateboard art with a history lesson on Indigenous culture and colonialism in Canada, Micheal’s innovative approach is leading a conversation about how Canadians, especially youth, can move forward together through reconciliation.
Profoundly influenced by his upbringing and experiences as an inter-generational residential school survivor, Micheal’s initiative has grown and expanded beyond the realm of skateboarding. He has been invited to elementary and high school classrooms in Regina, Fort Qu’Appelle, as well as various community panels to speak about his company and its mandate. He was recently invited to the Winnipeg Art Gallery to speak on an Indigenous artist panel, where his boards were featured.
Colonialism Skateboards continues to receive international attention as Micheal inspires skateboarders and non-skateboarders alike to learn about the history and enduring legacy of colonization, and to think about ways to address these ongoing challenges locally and globally.
Colonialism has produced several pro boards for Joe Buffalo as well as a guest board with Dustin Henry.
Micheal has been a long time member of the Tiki Room family.
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