Current — Carwaq Carwaq tukniuq. – The current is strong. Perched on the edge of the continental shelf, the Kodiak Archipelago lies in the path of the Alaska current. Driven by wind and freshwater, this warm oceanic flow courses out of the central Pacific and circulates counterclockwise along the Gulf of Alaska’s coast. This current, […]
Shed — SaRayaq Tuntuq saRayami inimauq. – The reindeer is hanging in the shed. Outbuildings have been a part of Alutiiq communities for thousands of years. In studies of ancient Alutiiq settlements, archaeologists find smokehouses, storage sheds, and a variety of small structures that illustrate how people used the space outside their homes. Historic […]
Woman — Arnaq Arnat peknartutaartut. – Women work hard. Women had important economic, social, and spiritual roles in classical Alutiiq society. In addition to collecting plant foods, they processed fish for storage, tanned hides, sewed the skin coverings for kayaks, wove baskets, and manufactured clothing. In winter villages, groups of related women lived together in […]
Ice — Cikuq Nanwat cikumaut. – The lakes are frozen over. Kodiak may lie south of the frozen arctic regions of Alaska, but from 1852 to 1870, it was known for its ice. In the 1850s the California gold rush was in full swing, and the west coast needed ice to preserve food. Russian American […]