Hi, I’m Nicole. I’m the founder and owner of BeadedLegacy and I am of mixed Sahtu-Dene and European heritage. I am really proud and grateful to come from a long line of Sahtu-Dene women from Tłegǫ́hłı̨ (land where there is oil), colonially known as Norman Wells, NWT.

It took me a long time to become comfortable identifying with my Indigenous lineage, because I grew up away from my traditional territory. My life has been undeniably shaped by colonialism. The impact of the residential school system is evident in my family in very real and very heartbreaking ways. I am extremely lucky that although I grew up away from my community, when I was growing up I was always told about where my family came from and the women who made it possible for me to be here.

My maternal grandmother, Edith Hodgson, was a residential school survivor. She attended Sacred Heart residential school in Fort Providence, NWT and Grollier Hall in Inuvik, NWT. Unfortunately, due to all the trauma she experienced during her time at these schools, she struggled with substance use throughout her life and passed away due to alcoholism-related health complications before I was born. Though I never got to meet her, I have heard many stories about her and have always felt a strong connection to her. Through my journey of reconnecting to culture and family, relatives have shared countless stories about the many beautiful versions of Edith that they all got to know.

It’s because of the strong connection I’ve always felt to my grandmother that I started beading. Growing up, my mom had a pair of moccasins and mittens that her mom (Edith) had beaded - they were made from smoked hide. Not only were they so incredibly beautiful, but they smelled amazing (if you know, you know!). I didn’t understand when I was young why these items were so special to my mom, or why holding them felt so sacred, but I do now. When I was encouraged by a mentor of mine to pick up beading, I told her I had no idea where to start. She gifted me some supplies and told me to try anyway. The rest is history, as they say.

I chose the name Beaded Legacy for my small business because I’ve decided that Residential School will not be the only legacy that my family carries, and it certainly will not be the most important one. My grandmother wasn’t just a survivor of trauma, she wasn’t just her damage. She was strong, she was resilient, she was funny, she loved to sing. She had only one daughter and that daughter had me. I am only here today because of her. My family has intergenerational trauma but we also have intergenerational strength. I am her legacy and the earrings that I create are mine. Each pair of Beaded Legacy earrings that go out into the world is a piece of culture that, if residential schools had been successful, wouldn’t exist. That is why I do what I do. It’s for her, it’s for me, it’s for all of us.

I am a registered member with my community - the Sahtu Dene and Metis of Norman Wells. I grew up using the word “ehtsu” which is Slavey for “grandmother” when speaking about Edith. I have always been Indigenous, living away from my community or having mixed ancestry cannot change that. Thank you for taking the time to read a small piece of my story.