Sealaska Heritage Institute names seaweed contest winner at Celebration

Sealaska Heritage Institute crowned Christina Weber the winner of its seaweed contest, the final category in a traditional Native food competition held during Celebration 2026 in Juneau.

Sally Joseph placed second and Mike Allard third. Judges evaluated the seaweed on freshness, color, taste, and texture, scoring each category on a scale of one to ten. The institute had previously judged seal oil and dry fish in separate contests.

Desiree Jackson, vice president of administration and outreach at Sealaska Heritage Institute, led the judging panel alongside Barbara Kedienti Nelson, a Sealaska board member and institute trustee, and Braylin, a youth advisor to the Sealaska board. Jackson said the competition aimed to celebrate traditional foods and introduce children to Native foods.

The three entrants were invited to the stage before the judging. Mike Allard, who lives in Pelican, spoke about the importance of harvesting traditional foods.

"It's always a fun time to go out and pick your seaweed and enjoy yourself," Allard said. "It's just a time to get out and reflect on our tradition and enjoy ourselves."

The judges conducted the tasting live before the audience. Sealaska Heritage Institute staff distributed seaweed samples to attendees. Winners were directed to the information booth to collect their prizes.

Sealaska Heritage Institute holds Celebration every two years in Juneau. At the 2022 event, Mike Allard won first place in the Back Seaweed Contest, with Theresa Wellington taking second and Christina Weber placing third. The 2022 contests also included a Dry Fish Contest and a Seal Oil Contest.