“[Toys] it’s such an important part of childhood, like something that really shapes you,” said Deis, who is based in Vancouver. She has recycled about three dozen dolls so far, depicting a variety of body types, skin tones, hair colors and genders, with jewelry, ribbon skirts and dresses made and sewn by Deis. “Making that tiny pair of earrings or a necklace for the doll has that personal touch that I think makes the dolls really special,” Deis said.

Reconnecting journey

Deis’ mother is Ulkatcho Dene and a Sixties Scoop survivor. Beadwork was a way for the mother-daughter duo to reconnect with their culture and identity. These are just a few of the dolls designed by artist Breanna Deis. (Submitted by Breanna Deis) She began beading in 2020 as a hobby through the Bead This In Your Style challenges she shares online, where a pattern is released each month, and then gained an online following with her original work. Barbies have always been fascinating to Deis. She began collecting vintage Native American-themed dolls from Etsy and eBay, like ones you might find in a 1990s Sears catalog or reminiscent of Disney’s portrayal of Pocahontas. The 1993 Native American Barbie and the 2000 American Goddess Barbie are part of the Deis doll collection. (Submitted by Breanna Deis) The 1993 Native American Barbie is part of her collection. The doll has long braids and a leather dress. While the representation in the dolls has improved significantly since then, Deis said the majority still look the same and are from a historical past, before colonization. “They don’t show what Indigenous people are like today or the idea that we’re still around,” he said.

Reflecting contemporary indigenous fashion

This was something she wanted to change and how she came up with the idea to create dolls to reflect what Native people look like today with contemporary Native fashion. “The thing about representation is that it doesn’t just benefit the person they represent, it benefits everyone,” he said. Keyonah Lambert, a member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians in North Carolina, appreciates the dolls. He bought several items from Deis after learning about her work on social media. Keyonah Lambert and her six-month-old daughter play with some of the dolls she bought from Breanna Deis. (Submitted by Keyonah Lambert) “I just stumbled upon them [dolls]I said, ‘I’ve got to have some,’” Lambert said. Lambert has a six-month-old daughter and was on the lookout for indigenous toys and books. It’s something he didn’t see growing up. “Even sometimes now, I’ll see a Pocahontas doll in the store. She’s pretty, but that’s not what I want to project to my child,” Lambert said. “It’s very important to me to have dolls that look like her and that look like her classmates.” Breanna Deis has created nearly three dozen dolls so far. (Submitted by Breanna Deis) It’s one of the reasons Deis keeps making more dolls. She said it was so nostalgic to relive her childhood days playing with dolls, but also rewarding to see children and adults drawn to the dolls. “When adults see the dolls, they light up more and eventually see one that looks just like them,” she said. “Seeing how much joy it brings to people I think is really, really rewarding.”