What is land acknowledgement? According to Lisa Wade, Executive Director of Chickaloon Village Traditional Council, land acknowledgments are about creating healthy, respectful dialogues and having good relations with each other. “I offer [land acknowledgements] when I visit other indigenous lands simply out of respect for the first inhabitants. Being respectful makes me feel connected to others in a good way. I enjoy meeting new people and making connections with people and learning from them.”
Lisa Wade is Ahtna Dene’ of the taltsiine (water clan) and the c’etsiy tnaey (iron people clan). Lisa is a Nay’dini’aa Na’ Kayax (Chickaloon Native Village) Tribal citizen, a wife and mother of two amazing daughters, and she currently lives at Tsidak’etna’ (Grandmother’s Creek) just north of Palmer. Lisa has worked for Chickaloon Village Traditional Council (CVTC) since 2007, first as the Health, Education, and Social Services Division Director, and since April 2021 has served as CVTC’s Executive Director. Lisa previously served as a CVTC Member and traditional Tribal Court Judge from 2012-2021, and she serves as a member of the Southcentral Foundation Board of Directors, Benteh/Nuutah Valley Native Primary Care Center Joint Operating Board, Mat-Su Health Foundation Board of Directors, Alaska Family Services Board of Directors, and Ce’yiits Hwnax Life House Community Health Center Advisory Committee. Additionally, Lisa serves on numerous steering committees locally, statewide, and nationally, and is committed to building a healthy Mat-Su. Lisa enjoys spending time with her family, Ahtna language and cultural learning, and creating community-based traditional art.
Interested in learning more about land acknowledgement?
Watch Land Acknowledgement Discussion
View Land Acknowledgement Presentation Slides
More Resources:
Native Land App an interactive map of Indigenous territories, treaties, and languages
A Guide to Indigenous Land Acknowledgement – Native Governance Center
Article: From Land Acknowledgement to Action by Melissa Shaginoff