My full name is Lois Roberta Wilson. My maiden name is Weisberg. My Tlingit name is KaaNaaTeen.  KaaNaaTeen refers to the white part of the throat of the killer whale. I am Eagle, Dakl’aweidí from the Kéet Gooshí Hít, Killer Whale Dorsal Fin House. My family originates from Klukwan. KaaNaaTeen was my Auntie Ann’s name.

My grandmother was Marie Moon Orsen, K’óots’ee. Marie was one of the original founders of the Alaska Native Brotherhood. Educated at Carlisle, Marie was an excellent writer with many talents: she was equally adept at making Tlingit baskets with roots as with sewing clothes, and painting on china. Marie married Ole Orsen, a Norwegian immigrant. I am Tlingit and Norwegian.

I was born in San Francisco and was raised there and in the Los Angeles area. When I moved to Juneau from Chicago in 1962, the town was so quaint; everything you needed was located downtown. I found Juneau as charming as could be.