Qizhjeh Vena, Alaska

08/20/2025

As Shani (summer) starts to transition to Naqeli (fall), we ease into preparing for winter.

Our QVA team has some updates to share in a newsletter to come out in a few weeks, stay tuned!

Until then here are a few photos around the center, vetnu (river) and vena (lake).

08/13/2025

We had a wonderful retreat last week; our first retreat at our center. Chin’an to the Nondalton Tribal Council and The Insight Alliance.

05/16/2025

Congratulations Chasity Anelon! You won our Mother’s Day giveaway!

05/11/2025

05/10/2025

To celebrate Mother’s Day, we are doing a GIVE AWAY drawing to celebrate the mothers in our lives and our Mother Earth and as a Chin’an to all of you who continue to support QVA’s vision and work.

This GIVE AWAY drawing starts today on May 10th and it will end at 12pm AKST on May 15th. The winner will be announced on March 15th at 3pm.

HOW TO ENTER:

1.) SHARE this post = 1 entry (take a screenshot of the share and message it to us)

2.) COMMENT what you appreciate about your mother, grandmother, friend…a mother in your life. = 1 additional entry

3.) TAG a friend = 1 additional entry

Do all three and you’ll get 3 entries into the drawing.

One Lucky Winner will Receive:

- Handmade Alaska Birch Pen

- Handmade Flower Watercolor Painting

- A Jar of Smoked Sockeye Salmon from the headwaters of the Newhalen River

- Handmade Beaded Dreamcatcher

*All items were handmade by the QVA Team*

Chin’an and hope you all have a lovely day and week.

10/15/2024

• Hoping Everyone had a Happy Indigenous Peoples Day•

On this day, we honor, celebrate, and uplift all Indigenous Peoples ~ their values, languages, traditions, artworks, dancing, and practices. Today and every day we are grateful for the Indigenous stewards of the lands we call home.

10/15/2024

Members of the Qizhjeh Vena, Alaska (QVA) Team hosted a dinner gathering for the Worldwide Indigenous Science Network (WISN) over Labor Day weekend last month. There were seventeen individuals from all over the world (from Mongolia to Egypt to Mexico and more) who came together for this trip organized by Dr. Apela Colorado

“The purpose of WISN, is to create places for ethical collaboration between the two ways of knowing—Indigenous and Western—not only for the survival of the knowledge systems, but for life itself.” - Dr. Apela Colorado

Hosting gatherings and making connections like ones with WISN is part of our mission at QVA.

• The gathering was held on Dena’ina ełnena at the home of Margaret Baldwin and Deb Till.
• Moose soup, salmon chowder, salad, fried bread, blueberry buckle, zucchini cake and tea was served. Most of the ingredients were harvested in Alaska.

We envision this as just the beginning to many more gatherings, retreats, and events in the future.

• Chin’an for the connections to WISN Karen and Chin’an to Margaret and Deb for opening your home and kitchen, Chin’an to Karlin Itchoak for lending his qulliiq, and Chin’an to our QVA team.

• This QVA effort is community led, driven, and connected. •

10/09/2024

The naqeli (fall) colors have been popping at Chulitna and around the vena (lake). Even the yuyqux (northern lights) came out to dance the other night.

Naqeli & vena 📸 captured by Fawn Silas
Yuyqux 📸 captured by Chase Rodriguez

10/01/2024

• We Are Celebrating!!! •

Re: The Purchase of Dena’ina Ancestral Homelands

It is with deep gratitude and excitement that we, the team of Qizhjeh Vena Alaska, announce our purchase of ‘Koksetna Lodge’. This lodge is on five acres of land located at the mouth of Chulitna River which drains into Qizhjeh Vena, known today as Lake Clark.

A year ago, we didn’t know how this purchase would be possible; the asking price was far beyond funds we had and it was a short timeline. However, we are a team of local hard-working women. We continued fundraising and brainstorming throughout the year. There were many ups and downs, but we stayed true to our vision of creating a Dena’ina center for sustainable living. Our goal was far bigger than us or a simple lodge and land purchase. We knew the Dena’ina Ancestors were there cheering us on and supporting us. Everything came together in the last four months leading up to signing the paperwork and receiving the title to “Koksetna Lodge”.

Over the past year we were continually inspired by the local, regional, and national support we received; both individually and organizationally. We appreciate all of the verbal, energetic, monetary, informational, and logistical support. It took many networks and community members to make this happen. We give our greatest Chin’an Gheli to NDN Collective who came to our aide in the final hours and provided the loan for the property purchase. NDN Collective provided hours of support through business education, financial expertise, regenerative literacy, legal advice and will continue to support us as loan relatives until we successfully pay off the loan. Letters to individual donors and funders will be forthcoming.

In humble partnership with the natural world and motivated by Dena’ina values, we move forward as the first, primarily Dena’ina women owned lodge on Qizhjeh Vena. There is more to be said about our journey and what our programs, goals, and plans will be. For now, we want to share the wonderful news and say chin’an gheli to those near and far who have supported us in words, money, or energy. You all inspired us and assisted with creating a new narrative for our region.

08/22/2024

August is nearing its end, berry season is in full swing, school has started up, and we have some news to share next month!

In the meantime, the QVA team hopes you all stay healthy and enjoy some fall time out on the land 🫐

07/29/2024

This is Kijik Lake, next to the Ancestral Kijik village of Dena’ina Athabascan peoples.

Kijik is listed as a National Historical Landmark District and an Archeological District. To date, 1,000 houses have been found by archeologists. 1,000!

The Quk’ Taz’un Outdoor Leadership Camp is currently halfway through its time at Kijik. They’ve been able to visit one of the largest home sites. The group was led by one of the mentors who has been visiting Kijik since he was two years old. A part of the camp has been to integrate young adult mentors to be part of staff, which serves so many benefits.

The leadership camp is not only about teaching language, cultural practices and values and being out on the land; it includes leadership skills to support each students’ well-being and development.