Ulutegwik – Television Ulutegwik ikirsgu. – Turn the television on. Television began reaching rural Alaska communities in the1970s, as communication systems evolved following World War II. Alutiiq villages began to receive radio signals in the 1960sand public television a decade later. Satellite television followed in the 1990s, and now many rural communities have Internet access. […]
Qapilaq – Blue Mussel. Qapilat piturnirtaartut. – Blue mussels are always tasty. Blue mussels (Mylitus edulis) are one of the most common intertidal invertebrates in the Kodiak Archipelago. These purple-shelled bivalves inhabit most of Kodiak’s rocky shorelines, forming dense clusters in the upper intertidal zone. Like other shellfish, blue mussels are a great source of […]
Cingtaataq – Razor Clam Cingtaatarsurlita! – Let’s gather razor clams! Pacific razor clams (Siliqua patula) can be found in sandy beaches from California to the Aleutian Islands. Alaska is home to some of the world’s largest razor clams, which can grow up to a foot long. These large, narrow bi-valves have a thin, brittle, brown […]
Kagit’ruaq – Baleen Inartat kag’it’ruamek pilitaallriit. – They used to make baskets out of baleen. What do hooves, horns, hair, claws, finger nails, feathers, scales, beaks, and baleen have in common? They are all made of keratin, fibrous protein found in living organisms. In humans, keratin makes up the outer layer of our skin and […]