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 […]
Dream — Qawangurtuaq, Qawanguq Qawangurtuataartut. – They always dream. For Alutiiq people, dreaming is a magical state, one that draws people closer to the spirit world. Encounters between people and spirits often take place in dreams or as a person awakes from sleep. Shamans, people who interact closely with spirits, their apprentices through dreams, and […]
KODIAK, Alaska—The Alutiiq Museum has added a contemporary atkuk—parka to its collections. Made by Alutiiq Elder and artist Susan Malutin, the garment is inspired by the traditional black, red, and white snow-falling parka worn in the Kodiak region. The museum commissioned the parka to fill a significant gap in its collections. Executive Director April Laktonen Counceller […]
High Bush Cranberry, Sourberry, Kalina Berry— Amarsaq (N), Amaryaq (S) Amaryat quuhnartaartut. (S) – High bush cranberries are (always) sour. The high bush cranberry (Viburnum edule), known locally as the bog berry or sour berry, is a large flowering shrub that grows in Kodiak’s thickets and clearings, often in shady spots. This plant, found widely […]