Cuumillat; Cuuliallrat; Cuulirat – AncestorsCuumillat lisngataallit. – The ancestors were very learned. Concepts of time differ between societies. Western cultures think of time as linear and progressive: species evolve, investments grow, technologies develop, and the past is often seen as outdated or quaint. To many Native people, including Alutiiqs, time is more circular and fluid. […]
Cauyaq – Drum; MusicCauyaq nitniqgu. – Listen to the drum. In the traditional Alutiiq language, the word for drum and music are the same: cauyaq. This duality illustrates the importance of drums to traditional Alutiiq music. Although Alutiiqs also perform with rattles and whistles, the drum, with its penetrating beat, is their main instrument. Drumming […]
PiRuq – Perok; Fish PiePiRuq piturnirtuq. – Perok tastes good. Alutiiq cuisine, like Alutiiq culture, is a mixture of Native and European traditions that reflects Kodiak’s rich cultural history. Foods inspired by Russian culture can be found on many Alutiiq tables: berry tarts in the summer, sweet kulich bread at Easter, and perok throughout the […]
Igu’urluku – BuyKaaRamek igu’ullianga. – I bought a car. Before the development of a western cash economy, Kodiak’s Alutiiq people obtained many of the foods and materials they needed through trade. In good weather, men traveled by skin boat to communities to share their surplus goods and barter for items. Trade with the Alaska mainland […]