Long-Tailed Duck — Aaraliq Aaralit amlertut ikani.—There are a lot of long-tailed ducks over there. The long-tailed duck (Clangula hyemalis) is a small, diving, sea duck. This species breeds in lakes and ponds across the high arctic, and then migrates south to winter in the waters along the north Pacific and north Atlantic coasts. The long-tailed […]
Morning-Unuaq Unuami ilait suuget kuufiarturtaartut.—Some people always drink coffee in the morning. The Alutiiq word unuaq means morning, but on Kodiak many speakers use it to specify early morning. Elders recall that one of the first important chores each morning was to start the household fire. Katya, an Elder from Karluk, describes her mother instructing her to […]
Ruuwarluni – Arrow Game (verb) Tamamta ruuwartaallriakut Paaskaami. – We used to all play bow and arrow at Easter time. (Click sentence to hear Alutiiq words spoken) In the Alutiiq language, the word for “arrow”—ruuwaq—has a variety of meanings. It can be used as a noun to refer to the wooden-shafted, feather-fletched projectiles fired from […]
Agayuluni – To Pray Agayutaartut qawarpailameng. – They always pray before they go to sleep. In the Alutiiq language—agayuluni—means sacred. Today people use this term to describe Christian prayer or holding a church service. This term expresses a core Alutiiq value, the practice of spiritual faith. In its broadest sense, prayer is a form of […]