JUNEAU — Voices and drumbeats cut through the warm spring air as thousands filled the streets of Juneau for the Grand Entrance of Celebration. Wednesday marked the start of the days-long event celebrating Indigenous cultures of Southeast Alaska.
The biennial festival is one of Alaska's largest cultural events. Hosted by Sealaska Heritage Institute, it began as a festival in 1982 to honor Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian peoples.
This year, over 1,800 dancers from 34 groups from Southeast Alaska and beyond gathered on Willoughby Avenue downtown as attendees looked on. The dancers sang, connected with old friends and introduced new family members to the festival before dancing across the stage in Centennial Hall.
“We are here today celebrating,†said Sealaska Heritage Institute President Rosita Kaaháni Worl at the Welcoming Ceremony in Centennial Hall. “Did you see the happiness on our children's face? Did you see their pride? No shame, no shame, that's all been wiped away.â€
Worl said the theme of this year's festival, “Enduring Strength,†was chosen to affirm the historical and ongoing survival of Indigenous peoples, cultures and languages.
“Enduring strength is also a statement that we can overcome the challenges that we are now facing with national, political forces that seek to undermine our culture, diminish our basic civil rights and human rights, and to subjugate the people of color,†Worl said.
For Nang K'adangaÌas, Eric Hamar, of Kasaan, Celebration is about coming together.
“Celebration gives a chance for all of our tribes in Southeast and all of our clans to come back together and kind of forget about all the hardships that we have to deal with and all of the difficulties that we face. We can all put that behind each other, at least for a couple days, enjoy the sun, enjoy the rain, enjoy the laughter,†Hamar said.
The festivities began Tuesday, when canoe paddlers arrived in Juneau from communities across Southeast. In the days to come, Celebration will feature more dancing, art exhibits, Native food contests and a toddler regalia review. The festival concludes Saturday.
