A residential school survivor turned pro skateboarder, activist, and leader.

Joe Buffalo is from Maskwacis, Alberta and gained traction throughout the 90s and the 2000s with his remarkable skills and impressive character that established him as a recognized and large part of the Canadian skate scene.

Joe is a residential school survivor and lived through years of mental health and substance abuse. Buffalo moved from Alberta to Ottawa in his late teens and made it a point to take his skateboarding seriously as he enthusiastically participated in the building of one of the areas skateparks and dedicated himself to his skating in his spare time. Sponsors soon started to take notice of his grit, talent, and determination. Unfortunately, Joe started to become lost in the world of substance abuse and addiction for over 20 years which made his sponsorships become ever more sparse and sporadic. 

He moved back to Vancouver in 2010 and became deeper into his addiction. By 2016 he had hit rock bottom, he decided to tackle his issues head-on and he was able to quit using strength from his ancestors. He was ready and determined to heal the deep internal wounds that were rooted in his past. It was only a short time after he quit, did he start seeing noticeable changes and his life started to become full of possibilities. 

Colonialism Skateboards

Within 3 years of quitting he went fully pro underneath Regina’s Colonialism Skateboards. Micheal Langan, owner of Colonialism Skateboards, is using his platform to educate people on what really took place in Canada’s dark history. Joe branded his pro model skateboard (graphic by Vince Dumoulin) paying homage to his ancestor Pîhtokahanapiwiyin also known as Chief Poundmaker and their shared dedication to social justice.

Poundmaker was known as a peacemaker and a leader with immense power in his words and much like Joe, perseverance in the face of impending change. Joe recognizes the strength he was given and passed down from this great leader and he now uses it as an anchor to betterment and activism.

Colonialism Skateboards has worked with Joe continuously and has since launched more board graphics that you can view here!

@colonialismskateboards

NATIONS SKATE YOUTH

Joe, along with Rose Archie, Dustin and Tristan Henry, founded a non-profit based out of Vancouver called Nations Skate Youth, a non-profit that reaches out to Indigenous youth through skateboarding. Nations aims to teach Indigenous youth the fundamentals of skateboarding and how it can be used as an outlet. Growing up on the reserve and being a residential school survivor, Joe found skateboarding was a vital tool to have to keep out of trouble and he sees the need and importance that Nations will bring to the community. Joe’s team first brought Nations to Fort St. John in northern BC where they had a couple of sponsors , one of which was Vans who donated 50 pairs of shoes.

@nationskateyouth