Beaded Headdress Arya’aq nacartumauq. – The girl is wearing a beaded headdress. Alaska Natives in communities from interior Alaska to the southeast coast once wore beaded headdresses. Among the Alutiiq people, headdresses were an important item of ceremonial regalia, worn at festivals for dancing, feasting, and visiting. Women’s headdresses were typically made from hundreds of […]
The Alutiiq Museum has released the fourth edition of its popular Alutiiq Traditions book. Written by staff, this paperback publication provides accessible one-page lessons on Alutiiq culture, language, and history. The new edition is updated with current information and new topics. It was supported by grant funds from the Institute for Museum and Library Services and […]
Yeast — StRausiq (N), StRuusiq (S) StRausircunituq. – It smells like yeast. Yeast is a single-celled microorganism, a type of fungus widely present in nature. There are thousands of varieties of yeast in the air, soil, and water, and on plants and animals. Archaeologists believe that people began incorporating yeast into bread at least 5,000 […]
Eggs-Manit Manigsurciqukut. – We’re going to look for eggs. Bird eggs are a favorite spring food in Alutiiq communities. Each year many thousands of seabirds nest along the rocky shores of the Gulf of Alaska coast. Collectors begin gathering eggs in May, particularly gull eggs. To avoid eggs with developing chicks, it is important to […]