Ch'atanaltsegh Fish Creek Indigenous Place Name Celebration

Ch'atanaltsegh - (cha-ta-nul-sowg) the Dena'ina word for Fish Creek means "where yellow water comes out." Visit this website for audio by Aaron Leggett, Native Village of Eklutna President. Scroll down to pronunciations under the “creeks” category

 
Date: Thursday, August 27
Time: 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Location: Lyn Ary Park – Park is located at 2009 Foraker. The stage and concert are on the upper part of the park on Iliamna Ave – Please bring lawn chairs or blankets.

Anchorage, Alaska – The community is invited to gather at Lyn Ary Park on Thursday, August 27, from 5 to 7 p.m. for the Fish Creek Indigenous Place Name Celebration, an evening of music, culture, art, food, and community that honors the Dena'ina name for Fish Creek, Ch'atanaltsegh, and celebrates new improvements planned for Fish Creek estuary.

 

Hosted in partnership with the Native Village of Eklutna, Anchorage Park Foundation, Great Land Trust, Anchorage Concert Association, Alaska Native Heritage Center, Anchorage Parks and Recreation, and Anchorage Museum, the celebration will highlight the enduring connection between people, place, language, and stewardship of the Fish Creek watershed.

 

The free, family-friendly event begins at 5 p.m. at Lyn Ary Park with an opening ceremony and a festive procession featuring the Indigenous Friendship Dancers, members of the Momentum Dance Collective, and participants wearing colorful, animal-themed costumes inspired by the fish, birds, and wildlife of the Fish Creek estuary. Community members will travel together along the Coastal Trail to visit the estuary, where a new Indigenous Place Name sign and future park amenities will be located.

 

Returning to Lyn Ary Park, attendees will enjoy an outdoor concert by Pamyua, the award-winning Yup'ik-Inuit music group known for blending traditional Inuit drum and dance with contemporary sounds. The concert begins at 6 p.m. and attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets.

 

Three local food trucks will be on site throughout the event. The first 50 attendees will receive a $15 food ticket redeemable at participating food trucks, while supplies last.

"This celebration is more than unveiling a place name," organizers said. "It's an opportunity to recognize the stories, languages, cultures, and relationships that have shaped Fish Creek for generations while inspiring a shared commitment to caring for this remarkable watershed."

Activities Include:

"Anchorage is an Indigenous city, built within the homeland of the Dena'ina people,” said Aaron Leggett, Native Village of Eklutna President. “Celebrating Ch'atanaltsegh is an opportunity for all of us to recognize the deep history, living culture, and enduring presence of Indigenous peoples in Anchorage.”

 

"Stewardship of Anchorage’s parks and trails begins with understanding the stories and cultures that are rooted in a place,” said Beth Nordlund, Executive Director of Anchorage Park Foundation. “This celebration honors that relationship.”

 

Part of the planned improvements will be to update interpretive signage installed after the permanent conservation of Fish Creek Estuary in 2004, which was led by Great Land Trust.

 

“The plaza improvements will create a more welcoming place for visitors to pause, take in the views, and better enjoy the natural beauty of the protected estuary. By gathering as a community to celebrate Ch'atanaltsegh, we are strengthening our connection to the creek and our shared responsibility to care for it for future generations,” said Ellen Kazary, Executive Director, Great Land Trust.

 

The Fish Creek Indigenous Place Name Celebration is part of the broader Indigenous Place Names Movement. A special thank you goes out to Mellon Foundation for funding the Indigenous Place Names Project.