Word of the Week Lesson 16:2 Arlluk – Orca; Killer Whale Arllut kuimartut imarmi. – Orcas are swimming in the ocean. (click sentence to hear Alutiiq words spoken) The orca or killer whale (Orcinus orca) is the largest member of the dolphin family. These large, toothed sea mammals are aggressive hunters known for their feeding […]
Word of the Week Lesson 16:1 Laptuuk – Baseball Kiagmi laptuugtaartukut. – We play baseball in the summertime. (click the sentence to hear the Alutiiq words spoken) In classical Alutiiq society, community gatherings were an opportunity for games, particularly those played outdoors. Both men and women enjoyed participating in athletic challenges, including everything from swimming, […]
Word of the Week Lesson Puuc’kaaq : Barrel Puuc’kaat saRayami et’ut. : The barrels are in the shed. (Click on sentence to hear Alutiiq words spoken) The Alutiiq word for barrel—puuc’kaaq—comes from the Russian word bochka, also meaning barrel. This link reflects the use of barrels for bulk storage on sailing ships in the early […]
Word of the Week Lesson Narya’aq : Bait Iqsaka naryaaliaqa. : I baited my hook. (Click sentence to hear Alutiiq words spoken) We often think of bait as something fishermen use on hooks to catch fish or in pots to lure crabs, but Alutiiq hunters once used bait to capture birds. In Prince William Sound, […]
Word of the Week Lesson Suulutaaq : Gold Kulutka suulutanek canamauq. : My ring is made of gold. (Click sentence to hear Alutiiq words spoken) The bedrock underlying the Kodiak Archipelago formed about seventy million years ago during the Late Cretaceous period. Geologists believe that Kodiak’s slates and greywackes developed on the South Pacific sea […]
Word of the Week Lesson Nengauwaq : Son in law Gui nengauwangq’rtua. : I have a son–in-law. (Click sentence to hear Alutiiq words spoken) Alutiiqs use the term nengau’aq in a variety of ways. In some communities, it specifically means a son-in-law: the man who married your daughter. In others, the word is a general […]
Word of the Week Lesson Kugyasiq; Kugu’asiq : Seine Net PaRaguutat kugyasinek aturtaartut. : The boats use seine nets. (Click sentence to hear Alutiiq words spoken) A seine is a weighted fishing net, designed to hang vertically in the water. Seines are among the fishing gear Alutiiqs have used to capture salmon for millennia. Historic […]
Word of the Week Lesson Allanertaq : Outsider / Stranger Allanertakiinga akgua’aq. : An outsider came to see me yesterday. (Click on the sentence to hear the Alutiiq words spoken) Hosting guests was a sign of power and prosperity in Alutiiq communities. Each winter, as the sun sank below the horizon, wealthy families initiated festivals, […]
Word of the Week Lesson Kiimaq : Whale blubber Akgua’aq kiimartullriakut. : We ate whale blubber yesterday. (Click sentence to hear Alutiiq words spoken) Blubber, the thick layer of fat that lies between a whale’s skin and its muscles, has important biological functions. Like all mammals, whales must maintain a warm body temperature. While swimming […]