Abalone-Alutiiq Word of the Week-February 18th
Salam inua–Shell’s Inside (Abalone; Mother of Pearl) Salat inuat rirtut.–Shell insides are shiny. The Pinto Abalone (Haliotis kamtschatkana) is a…
Fox Farm-Alutiiq Word of the Week-February 11th
Kaugya’at naut’stagwit.–Fox Farm (place to grow foxes) Kaugya’at naut’starwiat et’llria Long Island-mi.–There used to be a fox farm on Long…
Corporation-Alutiiq Word of the Week-February 4th
Akilingnaq’sqat–Corporation Akilingnaq’sqat angsinartut akilingnaqlluteng.–Some corporations are big and they are trying to make money. Forty years ago, the Alaska Native…
Real People-Alutiiq Word of the Week-January 28th
Sugpiat–Real People “Sugpianek” ap’rtaakiikut cuumi, nutaan ap’rtaaraakut Alutiit–They used to call us Sugpiaq before, but now we are called Alutiiqs.…
Lake Person/Mermaid-Alutiiq Word of the Week-January 21
Nanwam suugii–Lake Person / Mermaid Suuget ilait niu’uqurtaarait Nanwam suugi ell’uni.–Some people always talk about there being a ‘lake person.’…
Hole-Alutiiq Word of the Week-January 14th
Cuknaq–Hole Cuknangq’rtuq ulugken.–Your pants got a hole. The tools of classical Alutiiq society were often complex, featuring many parts. A…
Winter-Alutiiq Word of the Week-January 7th
Tamuuliciqukut uksurpailan.–We will make dry fish before the winter. Winter in the Kodiak Archipelago quickly follows summer. As the days…
Lamp-Alutiiq Word of the Week-December 31
Laampaq–Lamp Laam’paaq kuarsgu.–Light the lamp. From Kodiak to Greenland, Native people used stone oil lamps to heat and light their…
Oven-Alutiiq Museum-December 24
Tuugawik–Oven PiRuq tuugawigmek ansgu.–Take the perok out of the oven. For many thousands of years, people around the world have…
Adopt-Alutiiq Word of the Week-December 17
Pilinguar–Adopt Wiiwaq pilinguaq–My younger sibling is adopted. The Alutiiq word pilinguar translates literally as, “to make one’s own.” Alutiiq speakers…