Qugaarkunani—To not give up, to persevere Taugna suk qugaartenilnguq.—The person didn’t give up. Perseverance is a necessary quality for anyone living a subsistence lifestyle. Long journeys, arduous tasks, and challenging weather require physical and mental strength. Alutiiq harvesters recall long days splitting thousands of fish, packing food across mountains, boat trips in heavy seas, and […]
Qaugyaq – Sand Asut qaugyanek canamataallriit. – They used to make pots out of sand. Sand is a fine, granular material that forms as rocks break down into small particles. This slow process, caused by erosion and weathering, can take thousands of years. The color of sand deposits reflects the stone from which they originate. […]
Filipiinaq – Filipino Filipiinat taitaallriit kiagmi pekcaturluteng kaanaRimen. – The Filipino people used to come in the summer to work in the canneries. People of Filipino heritage have been part of Alaska history for over two hundred and thirty years. The first record of a Filipino person in Alaska is from 1788, when a man […]
Agayuluni – To Pray Agayutaartut qawarpailameng. – They always pray before they go to sleep. In the Alutiiq language—agayuluni—means sacred. Today people use this term to describe Christian prayer or holding a church service. This term expresses a core Alutiiq value, the practice of spiritual faith. In its broadest sense, prayer is a form of […]
Kumitgarpak – Shrimp Kumitgarpat piturnirtaartut. – Shrimp are tasty. There are five species of shrimp in Gulf of Alaska waters—including coonstripe, sidestripe, humpy, northern, and spot varieties. The Alaska spot prawn (Pandalus platyceros) is the largest and a popular addition to dinner tables. These tasty invertebrates are found from northern British Columbia to the eastern […]
Slate — Ipegyaq Ulukat ipegyanek canamataallriit cuumi. – Ulu knives used to be made out of slate. Slate is one of the most common types of stone in the Kodiak region. This widely distributed sedimentary rock is part of the Kodiak Formation, a set of rocks the makes up the center of the Kodiak […]
Mayuwartaq – Steelhead Trout Kal’umiuwat mayurwartarsurtaartut. – Karluk people always fish for steelhead trout. There are two varieties of trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in southern Alaska—rainbow trout and steelhead trout. These closely related fish use Alaska’s waters differently. Rainbow trout spend their entire life in freshwater. In contrast, steelhead trout are anadromous. Young steelhead leave […]
KILUTAQ – KILIUDA BAY SUUGET KILUTAMEN IQALLUGSURTAARTUT. – PEOPLE ALWAYS GO TO KILIUDA BAY TO FISH. Kiliuda is a large bay on the eastern shore of Kodiak Island with a dramatic coastline. Kiliuda stretches about 25 km into the mountainous spine of Kodiak Island and the lands around its shore are steep. The head of […]
MEQCILUKU – PLUCK SAQUL’AAQ MEQCIRAA. – SHE IS PLUCKING THE DUCK. The Alutiiq verb meqciluku is commonly used to describe plucking the feathers from a bird. However, it can also mean to pull out hair or fur. This is the verb you would use to describe pulling caribou hair from a hide to use in […]