The Sealaska Board of Directors announced today a distribution to tribal member shareholders to be direct deposited and mailed on or about December 4, 2009. The December distribution is based on earnings from operations and the Marjorie V. Young Shareholder Permanent Fund and includes ANCSA Section 7(j) payments. A $1.34 per share dividend was declared from operations and the Marjorie V. Young Permanent Fund. A Section 7(j) payment of $10.93 will be made to Urban and At-Large shareholders and directly to Southeast Village Corporations.

Urban and At-Large Shareholders will receive $12.27 per share and a $1.34 per share dividend will be made to Village shareholders. In addition, Descendants, Leftouts and Class E shareholders will receive a $1.34 per share dividend.

The record date of this distribution is November 20, 2009.

One of the best ways to learn about Sealaska activity or future distributions is to join the Sealaska eNews Network.

Thousands of Sealaska tribal member shareholders and others have already joined. In doing so they typically are the first to know about important information such as distributions, Sealaska job opportunities, the annual meeting and other shareholder news.

Sealaska is dedicated to providing shareholders with timely information via the eNews Network.

Keeping your contact information up to date is vital to staying “connected.” Please visit the Forms and Procedures page on www.sealaska.com. Or contact the Shareholder Records department at 907.586.9227 or records@sealaska.com

Sealaska Director Byron Mallott testified before the US Senate Public Lands and Forest subcommittee in support of S 881, the Southeast Alaska Native Land Entitlement Act, which Sealaska refers to as Haa Aaní. “This legislation is a reflection of the significance of Native land to our people and its importance in meeting cultural, social and economic needs,” Mallott testified. “It is also about balancing the protection of sacred sites, sustainable economic development and environmental protections.”

View full press release here

Mallott’s complete testimony and S 881 language can be accessed here

Sealaska encourages supporters of the land legislation to contact members of the US Senate Public Lands and Forest subcommittee. Click here to submit your message to the subcommittee online.

S 881 legislation here

Learn more by reading or listening to the following stories.

Ketchikan Daily News Sealaska Bill Under Debate

APRN Sealaska Asks for Land in Tongass

Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) has negotiated a convention rate for people traveling on Alaska Airlines to Celebration 2010. A five percent discount will apply to ticket rates for travel to Juneau between May 31 and June 8. This applies to travel between Juneau and any U.S. or Canadian city. The code is ECCMB1204 and can be used at www.alaskaair.com

Sealaska will host a booth at the Alaska Federation of Natives Convention in Anchorage. The annual AFN meeting begins with the Elders and Youth Conference held October 19-20 at Dena’ina Civic and Convention Center in downtown Anchorage. The main AFN convention will be held October 22-24, 2009. Please stop by the Sealaska booth to update your shareholder information, sign up for direct deposit, fill out testamentary forms, review employment opportunities, ask questions or just to meet staff. We look forward to seeing you!

Alaska Native Brotherhood and Sisterhood Camps 70 hosted the 97th annual Grand Camp convention October 6-10, 2009 in Juneau. Sealaska board of directors and officers participated in the week’s discussion. To see images from the 2009 ANB/ANS Grand Camp courtesy of Sealaska, click here

Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) and the University of Alaska Southeast will sponsor a workshop on language documentation and videography 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., November 9-11, 2009. Frederick Otilius Olsen , an award-winning Haida cameraman and teacher, will be the instructor. The workshop will be hands on and limited to twenty people.

For more information contact SHI

SHI has installed a new display case in its public reading room to showcase the Institute's collections. The case, purchased through a grant from the Rasmuson Foundation, currently features a small display on the Alaska Native Brotherhood and Alaska Native Sisterhood. Inside the case is an original ANB Camp 2 meeting minutes ledger dating from 1935-1945, William L. Paul Sr.'s original ANB cap, a letter by Elizabeth Peratrovich and two rare books on the ANB and ANS. Read more at a blog written by SHI Archivist Zachary Jones.

RurAL CAP