Cimigiuq; Cimiyuq – Trade; Exchange Suuget cimiutut. – People are trading. Alutiiq communities obtained resources and formed alliances by exchanging foods and raw materials. In good weather, people traveled by skin boat to neighboring communities to share their surplus goods and barter for items. Trade with the Alaska mainland was particularly important. Here, Kodiak Islanders […]
Ulukaq – Ulu Ulukaq aturluku. – Use the ulu. Commonly known as the Eskimo woman’s knife, the ulu is an item of technology shared by coastal peoples from Alaska to Greenland. Ground from a thin leaf of slate, the traditional Alutiiq ulu has a broad, convex blade with a beveled cutting edge, well designed for […]
Ar’ursulek / Arwarsulek – Whaler Ar’ursulem ayaququtara ar’uq. – The whaler is going to spear the whale. In ancestral Alutiiq society, each community had a set of cultural specialists. Politicians, shamans, ritual leaders, healers, and whalers were among the people with unique knowledge who served others. Some of these positions were passed down through families. […]
Puyurniq – Raspberry April-rem puyurnit pingaktaarai. – April always likes raspberries. The American red raspberry (Rubus idaeus) is a recent introduction to Kodiak, brought to the island in the past century. This fast-growing, fruit producing plant thrives in thickets, clearings, and along the edge of wooded areas. It is now a local favorite. Bushes can […]