My Story
Dineh k’èh Ddhälh kit Nelnah shǫǫsį’, nòodlèey k’èh Teresa Vander Meer-Chassé shǫǫsį’. Ts’òogot Gaay ts’änh diht’eh. Tthèe Tsa’ Niik ts’änh diht’eh. Amiskwaciy Wâskahikan dänh shih hǫǫłįį. Kwanlin dänh nìidhihshąąn. METULIYE Camosak tah huht’įįn. Shnąą Ttthìi’ Elgąy mǫǫsį’. Shnąą wunąą stsǫǫ Stsaay Ch’idzǜü’ mǫǫsì’, wunąą Nii’ii Jaiy, wunąą Laats’iih’ol, wunąą Gàan dànihtl’įǫ. Shnąą wuta’ sts’aay Sid van der Meer moosi’. Shta’ Wilfred Chassé mǫǫsį’. Shta’ wunaa stsǫǫ Helen Chassé mǫǫsį’. Shta’ wuta’ sts’aay Louis Chassé mǫǫsį’.
Teresa with her little mouse, Cheezer.
Teresa Vander Meer-Chassé (b. 1992, she/her), known affectionately as Ddhälh kit Nelnah, is a proud Niisüü Member of the White River First Nation from Beaver Creek, Yukon and Alaska. Teresa is a Dineh (Upper Tanana), Frisian, and French visual artist, consultant, Master of Fine Arts graduate from Concordia University in Studio Arts, and the Curator of Indigenous and Contemporary Art at Open Space Arts Society. She has resided in Lək̓ʷəŋən and W̱SÁNEĆ Territories for the past six years, although she’s had a connection to the community since 2010 when she was studying at the University of Victoria. Her artistic and curatorial education began at a young age through mentorships with her Grandma Marilyn John and Grandpa Sid van der Meer. Her Grandma Marilyn John, an Upper Tanana Elder and residential school Survivor, taught Teresa how to bead at the age of eight, but Teresa did not commit to the needle and thread until she was a young adult. Her passion for curating came from her Grandpa Sid van der Meer who has curated his private collection of Yukon treasures at his home called Bordertown Garage and Museum.
Teresa’s artistic practice is invested in the awakening of sleeping materials, processing of natural materials, and the (re)animation of found objects that is centered around her family. Her artworks are layered in meanings, with the deepest understanding being accessible to her kin. She explores themes of grief, loss, family, community, and relationships. She has been shown in over 40 exhibitions since 2013. Please see Art section for images of past works.
Teresa’s curatorial practice focuses on filling gaps and writing new narratives that highlight the importance of accurate representation and visibility of Indigenous Peoples. She was the curator for Emerging North (2020), We are Our Language (2019) and co-curator for Creation Stories for La Biennale d’art contemporain autochtone (BACA) (2024), TETHER (2022), and Elemental Transformations (2021). Please see Curation section for exhibitions Teresa has curated. She has sat on numerous committees and boards including the Indigenous Curatorial Collective/Collectif des commissairers autochtones and she currently sits on the board for Tah’lum Indigenous Artists Collective.
I currently reside between Beaver Creek, Yukon, Whitehorse, Yukon, and Victoria, British Columbia.