Birch — Qasrulek, Uqgwik Ikani uqgwit tak’ut. – The birch trees over there are tall. The Kenai birch (Betula kenaica) is a deciduous tree with a grey, papery bark and pointed oval leaves. The Kenai birch grows in scattered groves around the Kodiak Archipelago. It is particularly abundant near the communities of Larsen Bay and […]
KODIAK, Alaska—On Friday, November 3, the Alutiiq Museum and Archaeological Repository will release Who Are We, a short film on Alutiiq/Sugpiaq identity. The nine-minute production explores what it means to be an Alutiiq person in the twenty-first century, with interviews of community members, historic photos, and songs in the Alutiiq language. The film was directed by […]
Mask — Maas’kaaq, Giinaruaq, Giinaquq Maas’kaaq aturu. – Use the mask. Masking is an ancient Alutiiq tradition. For centuries, Native artists carved images of powerful ancestors, animal spirits, and mythological beings into wood and bark. Masks were made in many sizes. Palm-sized miniatures may have been used to teach children traditional stories or carried by […]
Whistler Duck / Scoter — Kukumyaa’aq Kukmyaa’at meqniitut.—Whistler ducks are hard to pluck. The whistler duck or black duck is the local name for the black scoter (Melanitta nigra americana). These large, sea ducks are known for taking a running start to become airborne. Males have black plumage and a distinctive rounded, orange knob on the […]