Sua’aq – FingerQulnek sua’angq’rtua. – I have ten fingers. The Alutiiq word sua’aq refers generally to a finger. Like English speakers, however, Alutiiq speakers have unique words for individual fingers. For example, Alutiiqs call the middle finger akulimaq, from the word for in-between. The second, or index finger is tekeq. Alutiiqs have a joke about […]
Aluuwirmiu’at; tamallkuamiu’at – Alaska Peninsula PeopleAluuwirmiu’at yaqsisinartut. – People of the Alaska Peninsula are far away. The Alaska Peninsula is a cultural crossroads, a place where the peoples of the Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands, and Gulf of Alaska have long interacted. Archaeological data suggest that Alutiiq people moved west across the peninsula about 750 years […]
Iraluruaq – Jellyfish Iraluruat tang’rniitaartut! – Jellyfish don’t look very good! Jellyfish are plentiful in Alaska waters. These ancient marine creatures are not actually fish but invertebrates related to corals and sea anemones. Jellyfish have no brains, no heart, no eyes, and no ears, yet they are effective predators. To capture food, they use tentacles […]
Kasuulluni – Married Ikuk kasuutkutartuk unuaku. – Those two are going to get married tomorrow. In classical Alutiiq society, preparation for marriage began at puberty. At the onset of her menstrual period, a girl was secluded in special hut for at least ten days. Menstrual blood was considered so extremely offensive to animals that great […]
Qaataq – Fern Qaatanek pisurciqukuk. – We (two) will gather ferns. The spreading wood fern (Dryopteris dilatata) is one of at least nine varieties of ferns commonly found in the Kodiak Archipelago. This large fern, which thrives in moist forests and coastal meadows throughout the north, can often be found growing near sourdock and nettle […]
Alagnaq – Berry Pingaktaanka alagnat. – I like berries. Kodiak’s Alutiiq people harvest seventeen varieties of berries, which are used for food, medicine, and natural dyes. Salmonberries are collected in the largest quantities, although crowberries, lowbush cranberries, and early blueberries are other favorites. Berry picking begins in late June and continues well into the fall. […]
Anguyartaasqaq – Warrior Qangiq, anguyartaasqat agellriit Swaacit nuniinun. – Long ago, warriors went to the Tlingits’ lands. In the Gulf of Alaska, Native people traditionally raided each other’s communities to avenge a wrong, secure hostages, and obtain wealth. Members of the elite class led raids. These were wealthy individuals who maintained their status by accumulating […]
Nikiiq – Sod Engluq nikiimek patumauq. – The house is covered with sod. The lush grasses of Alaska’s coastal meadows produce more than just weaving material for Native people. The thick tangles of roots, which cling to deep underlying layers of soil, were traditionally cut into blocks and used in house construction. Piles of sod […]
Metqaq – Slave Amlesqanek metqangq’rtuq. – He has a lot of slaves. Like their Tlingit and Aleut neighbors, Alutiiqs lived in a ranked society. Individuals were born into one of three classes: elite, common, or slave. These social distinctions ordered much of daily life. From dividing subsistence foods to sharing a meal, giving gifts, or […]