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 […]
Unigkuaq – Legend; Fairy TaleCuumi unigkuarngutaallriit. – Before they always used to tell (legends) fairy tale stories. In the English language the word “story” is a broad term that can be used to describe many different types of tales, from fairy tales to newspaper articles. Not so in the Alutiiq language, where there are distinct […]