Crafting connections with InDEEGenous Creations

For Chipewyan Cree artist and registered nurse Deeg Roy-Delorme, InDEEGenous Creations began on the road to recovery. While on disability leave, Deeg returned to her roots and dove into the world of crafting as a way to rebuild her health. “That Christmas, I made more ornaments than I knew what to do with.”  

Fast forward to now, Deeg has taken on her first large project: creating 500 Orange Shirt pin beading kits for the Northwestel team to wear in solidarity with those who were, and continue to be, impacted by the residential school system in Canada. 

Deeg embraced the unknown as she began designing Northwestel’s Orange Shirt beading kits. She notes her process was more than just crafting — “it was reflection through touch.” Each time she handled the elements of the kits, she held a tangible reminder of her history — a stark remembrance of what her family had endured and the scars that are still carried from the residential school system. 

“My experience is that of an intergenerational survivor. This opportunity forced me to read more, listen more, do more, and ask more. It helped me to process my own experiences.”

Each kit Deeg carefully crafted includes instructions and all the materials needed to create a small, meaningful Orange Shirt beaded pin, to be worn proudly on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. 

“The kits are conversation starters,” she says. “They offer a chance to be inquisitive. People look at the kits, only to ask, ‘What is that?’ And then it’s my turn to share.” The tradition of sustainability plays an important role in Deeg’s creative process. Most of her materials aren’t purchased new, but rather thrifted and gifted. “I had built up quite the collection,” she says with a laugh. The materials for the kits come from second-hand leather jackets, leftover fabric from past projects, and beads from her mother and uncle. 

Growing up, Deeg was surrounded by beadwork and traditional art. She was gifted decorated items that always combined beauty and function. Deeg shared that she doesn’t actually remember learning to bead — it was something she always felt she could do.“As a child, my mother surrounded herself with supplies and was always working on projects. That meant I was always surrounded by that too.” 

Working with Northwestel kicked off Deeg’s trials with the appliqué beading style. She highlights that practicing new techniques involves making mistakes, reversing them, and sometimes starting over. “It typically takes me 15 frustrating sessions to have confidence using a new technique,” she shares. She approached the kits with ease and accessibility in mind, hoping that completing an Orange Shirt pin would be possible for new and experienced beaders alike.

 Like the popular colour-by-number format, she took on a bead-by-number approach. “Every bead colour, every tool, and every decision was intentional so the kit would be as user-friendly as possible. In this way, people can focus on what the Orange Shirt really symbolizes.”

“I feel like a stop sign generation; my daughter deserves the best version of me. It’s on us, the intergenerational survivors, to heal and curb the domino effect of Canada’s residential schools.”

Deeg isn’t stopping here. She plans to make more Orange Shirt kits and is exploring Red Dress kits to honour Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. 

The Northwestel team is incredibly grateful for the wisdom Deeg has shared with us. Our team is honoured to wear her thoughtfully crafted pins in solidarity with our Indigenous communities, partners, colleagues and customers. Be sure to follow InDEEGenous Creations on social media to see all the magic she’s creating.

Visit our Community Blog to view the incredible artwork that adorned the Northwestel team’s Orange Shirts in previous years, each design rooted in meaningful stories that honour culture, resilience, and personal expression.  

Northwestel is committed to following the path of Truth and Reconciliation. We serve 97 communities, each on the traditional territories of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples. We are grateful for the many Indigenous partnerships over 40 years that have helped build a strong northern network. If you’d like to learn more about what Northwestel is doing to advance reconciliation in our workplaces and the communities we serve, visit nwtel.ca/reconciliation

If you are a residential school survivor or know someone seeking support, please visit www.hopeforwellness.ca to call, chat online, or find additional resources.