Disc Game — Kakangaq Kakangat wamqutaqtaakai Larry Matfay-m. – Larry Matfay used to play disc games. In the Alutiiq gambling game kakangaq, players throw disks at a small wooden target placed on a sealskin ten or twelve feet away. The object is to cover the target with a disk. This game can be played by two […]
Salt Fish — Sulunaq, Salt Fish Sulunaq piturnirtaartuq. – Salt fish is always tasty. For centuries, people around the world have enjoyed salted fish. The interaction of salt and fish enzymes creates a wonderful flavor, especially in cod. Salt is also an effective preservative. It limits the growth of bacteria. Fishermen working in both the […]
Spring — Ugnerkaq Ugnerkartuq awa’i. – Spring is here. Spring is an unpredictable season in the Kodiak Archipelago. Some years, calm weather ushers in longer days and milder temperatures, but in others, winter storms pound the coast, and snow falls well into April. For Alutiiq people, spring is a time of waiting as the subsistence […]
Hungry — Kaigluni Kaiyaqameng kenirtaartut. – When people are hungry they cook. Throughout northern environments, late winter and early spring are the leanest times of the year. There are fewer sources of fresh food in this season, and bad weather can make those that are available hard to reach. Moreover, by late winter, food stores […]