Ed Schoenfeld, CoastAlaska

The regional Native corporation for Southeast Alaska holds its annual shareholders’ meeting Saturday (June 23rd). Sealaska Corporation has about 21,000 shareholders, many living outside the state.

Celebration 2012 ended Saturday night with the Grand Exit, where more than 50 groups from Anchorage to the Pacific Northwest make their final processions. At the lead, and at the start of the Southeast Native cultural festival’s Grand Entrance, was one dance group from Angoon. Gilbert Fred and Alan Zuboff lead the Xudzidaa Kwáan Dancers.

The state is expanding its support for mariculture. Governor Sean Parnell this week signed a bill creating a revolving loan fund for shellfish farms.

A new genetic-testing effort could provide more information about the connections Tlingits and Haidas have with other tribal groups. A University of Pennsylvania expert is in Southeast to collect DNA samples. He’s hoping for cooperation from those attending this week’s Celebration 2012 cultural festival in Juneau.

Celebration 2012 begins Thursday morning with the grand entrance, led by the Xudzidaa Kwáan Dancers of Angoon. More than 50 other groups from Alaska, Canada and the Lower-48 will take the stage during the Thursday-through-Saturday event, which is Southeast Alaska’s largest Native cultural gathering.