Tugluq–Fermented oil, berry pulp & vegetables Tugulitaarllriit puckami piturluku nangluku–They always used to make tugluq in barrels and eat it until it is done (all winter). There is no one English word that describes tugluq, a flavorful, traditional, Alutiiq dish. Like akutaq or ciitaq, tugluq was a mixture of ingredients tailored to the maker’s tastes […]
MuRutuumasqaq – Battered Thing Una muRutuumasqaq yaamamek giinangq’rtuq. – This pounded rock has a face. Alutiiq people crafted stone into a variety of useful tools, turning Kodiak bedrock into subsistence gear, utensils, and artwork. There were three major ways of working stone. People chipped glassy chert into elegant arrows and hide scrapers. They ground slate […]
Qiluryaq – Braided Seal Gut Taugkut qiluryat ekllinartut. – Those braided seal gut look delicious. Visitors to Kodiak often ask how Alutiiq people can hunt protected species like sea otters and sea lions. In 1972, the Marine Mammal Protection Act prohibited the harvesting of all marine mammals to preserve their populations. However, this law recognizes […]
Qikarlluk – Sinew Cuumi arnat minq’rtaallriit qikarllugmek aturluteng. – Women used to always sew using sinew. Sinew is a general term for the tough, fibrous, connective tissue found throughout an animal’s body. Tendons and ligaments are both sources of sinew. Tendons connect bones to muscle, while ligaments connect bone to bone. Sinew is a valuable […]