Summary:
Elder Patricia Wade, a Tribal citizen of Chickaloon Native Village, has worked for Chickaloon Village Traditional Council (Nay’dini’aa Na’) since 1995 as Editor of The Chickaloon News. Patricia was born in Palmer, Alaska and grew up living eight miles out of town in the lush hills of summer and howling winds of winter in the beautiful Moose Creek area. Patricia’s mother, Katherine Wade, spoke the Ahtna language and told the ancient legends that have been passed down since the beginning of time.

After working for the Tribe for several years, it became clear that the Ahtna history and stories were nonexistent in the Matanuska-Susitna area. To share the Ahtna history and cultural stories with others, Patricia enlisted her son’s artistic talent to illustrate several legends. Patricia began taking the presentations into the schools and community and their new blend of talents combined the old ways of storytelling with modern technology to add a new dimension of excitement.

Dimi Macheras’s artwork has won awards for his ability to interest young people of today in the ancient legends with his “Athabascan Anime” style.<br /><br />Patricia has since gone on to write new legends inspired by modern themes. In 2002, Patricia won the Alaska Native Writers on the Environment Award from the Alaska Conservation Foundation with her story “The Magical Story of Chickaloon.”

Patricia has also presented 11 cultural awareness classes to Mat Su school district, told stories at Spirit Keepers Camp several times, Culture Camp, Martin Luther King Day 2004, and various other locations.

For booking information, please contact Patricia at patricia@chickaloon.org or 745-0749.

Photos:

Links:
> Anchorage Daily News
> Anchorage Native News
> Frontiersman
> KNBA Radio
> Radio Free Palmer