High Bush Cranberry-September 2nd
Amarsaq (N), Amaryaq (S)—High Bush Cranberry Amaryat quuhnartaartut.—Highbush cranberries are (always) sour. The highbush cranberry (Viburnum edule), known locally as…
Museum Publishes Alutiiq-Themed Coloring Book by Hanna Sholl
Today, the Alutiiq Museum released Coloring Alutiiq, a twenty-eight-page coloring book by Alutiiq artist Hanna Sholl. The publication features black and…
Teacher-Alutiiq Word of the Week-August 26th
Litnauwista, Uciitilaq—Teacher Litnauwistarpet asirtuq.—Our teacher is good. Western-style teachers became part of the Kodiak landscape in the late eighteenth century,…
Green Salmonberry-Alutiiq Word of the week-August 19th
Urungilet, Urunguliit—Green Salmonberries Aanama niu’utaaqiinga “Urunguliit piturkunaki.”—My mom always told me not to eat the unripe salmonberries. Salmonberries (Rubus spectabilis…
Ocean-Alutiiq Word of the Week-August 12th
Imaq—Ocean Imam taanga taryutuu’uq.—The ocean’s water is salty. The bountiful North Pacific Ocean has been the economic foundation of Alutiiq…
Crow/Blackberry-Alutiiq Word of the Week-August 5th
Augyaq, arauryaq—Crowberry, Blackberry Augyat lliitaakait uqumen.—They always put crowberries in oil. The crowberry, or blackberry, is a low growing, evergreen…
Feather-Alutiiq Word of the Week-July 29th
Culuk—Feather Mas’kaaq culungq’rtuq.—The mask has feathers. Birds were a central part of classical Alutiiq society, both as an economic resource…
Tent-Alutiiq Word of the Week-July 22nd
Palat’kaaq, PaRat’kaaq—Tent Akgua’aqu palat’kaami qawarciqua.—I am going to sleep in the tent tonight. Kodiak’s archaeological sites indicate that the island’s…
Poison-Alutiiq Word of the Week-July 16th
Yaataq—Poison Pitun’illgu una-yaatartuq!—Don’t eat this—it is poisonous! Alutiiq people have long recognized the poisonous qualities of certain local plants. Some…
Fish Hook-Alutiiq Word of the Week-July 8th
Iqsak—Fishhook Iksak ipegtuq.—The fishhook is sharp. Archaeological sites in the Kodiak Archipelago illustrate that Alutiiq ancestors have harvested marine fish…