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 […]
Ugnerkaq – Spring Ugnerkartuq awa’i. – Spring is here. Spring is an unpredictable season in the Kodiak Archipelago. Some years, calm weather ushers in longer days and milder temperatures, but in others, winter storms pound the coast and snow falls well into April. For Alutiiqs, spring is a time of waiting as the subsistence cycle […]
Taqiq – Lance Wiika taugum taqikii. – My husband was lanced by that person. Among the techniques used by Alutiiq healers, lancing and bloodletting were chief remedies for pain and illness. Elders recall that the famous tribal doctor Oleanna Ashouwak (1909–1965), a resident of Kaguyak, used these techniques to help people experiencing headaches. She would […]
Augca’aq – Dart Game Augca’arciqut. – They are going to play the dart game. Gaming has long been a favorite recreational activity in Alutiiq communities. For centuries, people have gathered in each other’s homes to test their skills and make bets. Traditional throwing games, where people tossed darts or discs at a target, emphasized hand-eye […]
Qanerluni (N); Qan’rluni (S) – Cursing / Cussing Katallrianga kesiin qanernilngua. (N); Katallrianga kesiin qan’rnilngua (S). – I fell but I didn’t cuss. Swearing is universal. Whether expressing anger, insult, shock, pain, or even pleasure, people worldwide have a tendency to use colorful terms. Profanity is popular, and it is probably as old as spoken […]
Ciqlluaq – Sod House Gui ciqlluami et’aarllianga. – I used to live in a sod house. Known today by the Russian word barabara, the tradition Alutiiq house was a sod and thatch-covered structure built partially underground (semi-subterranean). After digging a foundation pit, builders erected a post-and-beam framework and covered it with planks split from driftwood. […]
Kulutruaq – Labret Kulutruaq gua’i. – The labret is right here. Throughout Alaska, many Native people wore labrets: decorative plugs of bone and stone inserted through holes pierced in their cheeks and below their lips. Alutiiq men and women wore labrets singly or in pairs. At birth, babies were fitted with a tiny starter labret, […]
Talataq – Cataract Talatangq’rtuq. – He has cataracts. Cataracts are a common problem among older people. As we age, proteins build up in the clear discs, or lenses, that form the center of our eyes. This slow process gradually reduces the amount of light that reaches the eyes, clouding vision. It also alters people’s perceptions […]