Kenegtaq – Low Bush Cranberry Ing’im ceniini kenegtangq’rtuq. – The mountainside has cranberries. The lowbush cranberry, or lingonberry (Vaccinium vitisidaea), is a creeping plant with thick, oval, shiny, green leaves; pink, bell-shaped flowers; and round, red berries. The word kenegtaq literally means “something pressed down.” This plant flowers in mid to late June and is […]
Lisngasqaq – Learned One Gui lisngasqaq Alutiit’stun. – I am learned in the Alutiiq language. The Alutiiq word lisngasqaq is a respectful term, used in reference to someone who is considered wise. You might use this word to talk about a teacher, a mentor, or an Elder with the ability to share valuable knowledge. For […]
Skauluq (N); Skuuluq (S) – School Naata guangkuta skaulurluta. – We should all go to school. Russian entrepreneur Gregorii Shelikhov established the first European-style school in the Kodiak region in the 1780s. Young boys taken hostage by Russian traders or enrolled in the school by their fathers learned to speak, read, and write in […]
Kepsuun, Panaq – Spear Panamek iqallugnek pit’llianga. – I got some fish with a spear. There are many ways to catch a salmon. Today, a pixie, a wet fly, or a gill net will do the trick, but before the introduction of treble hooks and monofilament, Alutiiq people used an ingenious salmon harpoon. Similar to […]