Swan — Qugyuk Qugyut qat’rtarut. – The swans are white. The tundra swan (Cygnus columbianus), a common visitor to Kodiak’s coastal wetlands, is one of three species of swans found in Alaska and the largest Alaska bird. This all-white bird is distinguished by a teardrop-shaped splash of yellow on either side of its black bill. […]
Overflow (to) — Ullq’rlluni Caskan ullq’rtuq.—Your cup is overflowing. The Alutiiq verb ullq’rlluni, to overflow, is typically used to describe something running out of a container. You could use this word to warn that your soup is bubbling out of its pot or that water is spilling over the sides of the bathtub. Ullq’rllunican also be used […]
Weatherman — Llaatesurta Llaatsurtaallriit. – They used to be weathermen. Long before marine radios, the nightly, television weather report, weather apps and weather cams, Alutiiq people interpreted the weather by reading the wind, waves, clouds, and phase of the sun and moon. Shaman, men and women skilled at interacting with the unseen world, were weather […]
Long-Tailed Duck — Aaraliq Aaralit amlertut ikani.—There are a lot of long-tailed ducks over there. The long-tailed duck (Clangula hyemalis) is a small, diving, sea duck. This species breeds in lakes and ponds across the high arctic, and then migrates south to winter in the waters along the north Pacific and north Atlantic coasts. The long-tailed […]