Sun’aq – Kodiak City Qaku-mi angiciqsit Sun’amen? – When will you come back to Kodiak? Established by fur traders in 1793, Kodiak was the second major Russian settlement on Kodiak Island and the first capital of Russian America. It was originally called Pavlovskaia Gavan, Paul’s Harbor, or St. Paul’s Harbor. Although archaeological sites indicate that […]
Kiwiksaq – Oyster Catcher Kiwiksat maniigtaartut qutmi. – Oystercatchers always lay their eggs on the beach. With a world population of about ten thousand birds, the American black oystercatcher (Haematopus bachmani) is a large, jet-black shorebird with a long orange beak and orange-encircled eye. It inhabits the western coast of North America, ranging from the […]
Sun’alleq – Three Saints Bay Sun’all’men agyugtua. – I want to go to Three Saints Bay. hree Saints Bay is a narrow, 8.7 mile long embayment on the southeastern side of Kodiak Island. The shores of this productive waterway have been home to Alutiiq people for millennia. Nestled between larger Kaiugnak Bay and Sitkalidak Strait, […]
Nakernaq – TalismanCarliarluki nakernaten. Nakciquten. – Take care of your talisman. You will be lucky. A rabbit’s foot, a four-leaf clover, a horseshoe–these are all widely recognized symbols of luck in modern American life. They are talismans, objects believed to provide good fortune or personal protection. People in all cultures use talismans, often carrying or […]