Lisngasqaq – Learned One Gui lisngasqaq Alutiit’stun. – I am learned in the Alutiiq language. The Alutiiq word lisngasqaq is a respectful term, used in reference to someone who is considered wise. You might use this word to talk about a teacher, a mentor, or an Elder with the ability to share valuable knowledge. For […]
Kepsuun, Panaq – Spear Panamek iqallugnek pit’llianga. – I got some fish with a spear. There are many ways to catch a salmon. Today, a pixie, a wet fly, or a gill net will do the trick, but before the introduction of treble hooks and monofilament, Alutiiq people used an ingenious salmon harpoon. Similar to […]
KaanaRiim laaf’kaa’a – Cannery Store KaanaRiim laugkaa’a patumataartuq uksumi. – The cannery store is always closed in the winter time. Alutiiq families living in rural communities supplement their catches of fish and game with groceries purchased from privately run community stores or shipped by air from big chain supermarkets in Kodiak. In the past, however, […]
MiRikaan’saaq – American MiRikaan’saat amlertut Sun’ami. – There are many American people in Kodiak. In the eighteenth century, Russian entrepreneurs spread eastward into Alaska, settling the Pacific coast of North America to claim land and harvest the region’s rich resources. Although the number of Russian colonists was very small, they established communities from western Alaska […]