Alutiiq Word of the Week & Museum News

Fish Head-Alutiiq Word of the Week-October 2nd

Fish Head– Iqallum Nasqua Tang’rk’gka Iqallum nasqua suupami! – I saw a fish head in the soup! From Chile to China…

Cheater, Trickster– Iqlluwista Iqlluwingnaqaaten. – He is trying to cheat you. Things are not always as they seem! This is a…

Teacher– Litnauwista, Uciitilaq Litnauwistarpet asirtuq. – Our teacher is good. Western-style teachers became part of the Kodiak landscape in the…

Bumblebee – Uuqutiiq Uuqutiit amlertut suitkaani. – There are a lot of bees on the flowers. Bumblebees play an important…

Splash It– Ciqiluku Yaamat ciqiki. – Splash the rocks. It’s Saturday evening and curls of smoke drift from the small shed…

Wick–Kumaq Kumaq kuakaskameng tamleritaartuq. – The wick always gets black after it burns. Stone lamps filled with sea mammal oil once…

Crab–Iwalrayak (N), Sakuuq (S) Aa’i, maani sakuut amlertaallrit. – Yeah, there used to be a lot of crab around here.…

Refuge Rock, Fortress–Nagaayuq Nagaayuq Ikani et’uq. – There is a refuge rock over there. To protect their families from…

Clothing–Atkut (N), Agunat (S), Aunat (S) Agunanek piliyuq. – She is making clothes. Sewing in classical Alutiiq society was often…

Berry–Alagnaq Pingaktaa’anka alagnat. – I like berries. Kodiak’s Alutiiq people harvest seventeen varieties of berries, which are used for food,…