4 Special Coverage

The state is expanding its support for mariculture.

Governor Sean Parnell this week signed a bill creating a revolving loan fund for shellfish farms.

“The fund will be capitalized and if you want to engage in and begin operating a small business of that kind, you’ll now have greater access to capital in the state to do it,” Parnell said at the Juneau bill-signing. “You will also have an opportunity for a loan from the Alaska microloan revolving fund. This is a niche where the banks don’t offer it typically as a product. But (it’s) focused on access to capital for entrepreneurs of our state.”

The bill-signing was part of the kickoff reception for the Haa Aani OysterFest.

The event is connected to the Celebration 2012 Native culture festival. Haa Aani, part of the Sealaska regional Native Corporation, has helped start several oyster farms in rural Southeast.

The legislation also provides financial support for other business opportunities.

“There are two more revolving loan funds created in here related to communities being able to buy quota, something our communities have not had access to capital for, as well as the commercial charter revolving loan fund to allow individuals to get into the halibut charter business,” Parnell said.

OysterFest features cooks demonstrating recipes using Southeast-grown shellfish. It continues through Saturday across from the Sealaska parking lot in downtown Juneau.

Celebration 2012 is officially underway. Southeast Alaska’s largest Native cultural gathering kicked off in earnest this morning (Thursday) with the Grand Entrance Procession in Juneau. KTOO’s Casey Kelly has more.

Dozens of groups, decked out in Chilkat blankets, button robes and other Native regalia, made their way singing, dancing and drumming through Juneau’s Willoughby District from the Alaska Native Brotherhood Hall to Centennial Hall.

Hundreds of spectators lined the parade route. Robert Sharclane, who grew up in Hoonah and now lives in Juneau, brought his kids.

“I’m half Tlingit, and it’s a fairly statewide, large and special event, and I just wanted them to participate in it and get an experience seeing it,” he said.

Sharclane’s nine-year-old daughter Pearl was wowed by the various dance groups.

“It’s cool to watch it and all the dresses they have,” she said.

Once all 55 groups made it into Centennial Hall, Sealaska Heritage Institute and Corporation officials formally opened the ceremony. SHI Trustee Clarence Jackson read a list of elders who have passed away since the last Celebration in 2010, including Dr. Walter Soboleff, the renowned Tlingit Presbyterian minister who helped found Sealaska Heritage Institute in 1980. Soboloeff was 102-years-old when he passed away last year.

Celebration was first held 30 years ago, after Sealaska Native Corporation founded the non-profit Heritage Institute to document and preserve the cultures and traditions of the Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian people. The event is held every other year and has expanded to include Native groups from outside Southeast Alaska.

Representatives from the Nisqually Tribe of Washington performed a traditional welcome song at the Grand Entrance.

SHI President Rosita Worl thanked all the dance groups, which she credits for making Celebration a success.

“We owe Celebration to our dancers. We owe Celebration to our ancestors. We owe Celebration to our children,” Worl said. “We know our culture is going to be strong and carry on for the next 10,000 years.”

This year’s Celebration events run through Saturday at Centennial Hall and other locations around Juneau. Organizers estimate 2,000 people will participate, with another 5,000 attending as audience members.

Watch all of Celebration live online. Celebration is a biennial festival of Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian tribal members organized every two years by Sealaska Heritage Institute. Celebration 2012 began on June 7 and lasts three days. Watch the entire event on 360 North.

One of the early events of Celebration 2012 featured the announcement of winners of the juried art competition and unveiling of a month-long exhibit of their work.

The event, which culminated during Wednesday evening’s festivities, is organized and sponsored by the Sealaska Heritage Institute. It’s intended to encourage creation and development of Southeast Alaska Native art forms.

This year, the former categories of traditional and contemporary Native art were replaced by Customary and Customary Inspired Northwest Coast Art.

In the Customary Art category, Archie Cavanaugh won first place with his Eagle Man Mask, Sonya Koenig-Johnson’s Spruce Root Hat came in second, and third place went to Ruby Hughes for her vest titled Woodworm Woman.

In the Customary Inspired Art category, Harmony Hoss won first place for her Beaver Purse, Clarissa Rizal was second for her Argillite Totem, and Shgen DooTan George took third with her Woven Octopus Bag.

Cash prizes of a $1,000, $750, and $500 were awarded to the top three in each category.

Best of show award of $1,500 went to Arthur Nelson for his Raven Bowl.

Jurors included master carver Nathan Jackson who judged Customary Art, and art scholar Peter Corey who judged Customary Inspired Art.

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Thirty-two pieces by 21 artists are on display at the Juneau Arts and Culture Center through the end of June.

We’ll have an in-depth look at some of the art next week on KTOO.

The biennial cultural event begins today (Thursday). It brings together Southeast Alaska Natives from all over the state, the Lower 48 and Canada to share their art, dance and stories. This year the SouthEast Alaska Regional Health Consortium (SEARHC) joined with the One People Canoe Society and other canoe teams to paddle to Celebration. The teams also used the stops along the way to raise awareness about suicide prevention.

The first teams left Kake on Saturday for Angoon, where another canoe team joined them. On Monday, a team from Hoonah joined in Funter Bay. They camped along the way, spending Tuesday night at Portland Island for the short paddle yesterday to Juneau’s Auke Recreation Area.

About 90 people made the trip and came from Angoon, Hoonah, Hydaburg, Juneau, Kake, Sitka, and Wrangell. They ranged in age from 10 to 70, and all seemed to relish the traditional mode of travel.

Rosemarie Alexander was at Auke Rec when the canoes paddled to shore, and spoke to observers & paddlers about the significance of the journey.

About 90 Southeast Alaskans are making their way to Celebration 2012 by traditional canoe.

The paddlers range in age from 10 to 70 and come from Wrangell, Hydaburg, Juneau, Sitka, Kake, Angoon and Hoonah.

The Paddle to Celebration journey is expected to arrive at Juneau’s Auke Recreation area about noon on Wednesday.

Boats left from Kake on Saturday, Angoon on Sunday, and Hoonah on Monday.

Norval Nelson, on the F/V Star of the Sea, is operating one of three safety boats accompanying the canoes. He’s backing up a group from Hoonah.

“They traveled through Icy Straits and they crossed Chatham Straits into Funter Bay and reported up there and greeted the rest of the group that showed up from Angoon. They left there Sunday morning, traveled along and stayed the night in a cove called Square Cove and then Monday joined us. We were greeted by a large pod of killer whales,” Nelson says.

He says the weather and seas have mostly cooperated.

Nelson calls it a healthy, spiritual journey, which includes people of Tlingit, Haida, Aleut, Filipino and Norwegian descent.

Celebration is Southeast Alaska’s largest cultural gathering, held in Juneau every two years. It starts Thursday and runs through Saturday.