Eagle-Alutiiq Word of the Week-July 12th
KUM’AGYAK – EAGLE KUM’AGYAK UQGUWMI MISNGAUQ. – AN EAGLE IS PERCHED IN THE TREE. Bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) are a common sight in Kodiak’s coastal environments. These large, territorial…
Paddle-Alutiiq Word of the Week-July 5th
ANGUAQ – PADDLE ANGUAQ TAISGU. – GIVE ME THE PADDLE. Alutiiq hunters propelled their skin-covered kayaks through coastal waters with narrow wooden paddles. Unlike the double-bladed paddles of neighboring peoples,…
Blueberry-Alutiiq Word of the Week-June 28
CUAWAK – BLUEBERRY CUAWAT PITURNIRTAARTUT. – THE BLUEBERRIES ARE ALWAYS DELICIOUS. The Kodiak Archipelago is home to two species of blueberries, the early blueberry (Vaccinium ovalifolium), also known the…
Halibut-Alutiiq Word of the Week-June 21
SAGIQ – HALIBUT UNA SAGIQ ANG’UQ. – THIS HALIBUT IS BIG. The continental shelf waters surrounding Kodiak contain large concentrations of marine fish. Halibut, cod, pollock, and other species…
Pink Salmon-Alutiiq Word of the Week-June 14th
AMARTUQ, AMAQAAYAK – PINK SALMON AMARTUT ANGITUT. – THE PINK SALMON (HUMPIES) ARE COMING BACK. Pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha), also known as humpbacks or humpies, are the most abundant…
Marmot Island-Alutiiq Word of the Week-June 8th
NAILIRAQ – MARMOT ISLAND NAILIRAMEN QAYARCIQUA. – I WILL KAYAK TO MARMOT ISLAND. The hoary marmot (Marmota caligata) is the largest member of the North American squirrel family. These…
Anchor-Alutiiq Word of the Week-May 31
KICAQ – ANCHOR KICAQ AGTUNARTUQ. – THE ANCHOR IS HEAVY. Before the availability of metal tools, Alutiiq people fashioned anchors from large cobbles. Craftsmen selected a relatively flat, rectangular rock…
Summer-Alutiiq Word of the Week-May 25
KIAK – SUMMER KIAKUTARTUKUT. – WE ARE GOING TO HAVE SUMMER PRETTY SOON. Summer in the Kodiak Archipelago comes slowly. In April and May, low pressure systems generated in…
Sea Lion-Alutiiq Word of the Week-May 17th
WIINAQ – SEA LION WIINAT CARLIANGUT. – THE SEA LIONS ARE HAVING BABIES. The Gulf of Alaska is home to the Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus), the largest pinniped…
