KAC’AMAASAQ – HALF DRIED FISH KAC’AMAASANEK AWA’I PILITAAN’ITUT. – THEY DON’T MAKE HALF DRIED FISH ANYMORE. Fish are a dietary staple in Alutiiq communities, a food that can be harvested in abundance in summer and fall and preserved to eat through the rest of the year. Just as there are many ways to catch fish, […]
NUUNIQ – PORCUPINE / QUILL QIKERTAQ NUUNIITUQ. – THERE ARE NO PORCUPINE ON KODIAK ISLAND. The North American porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) is a large rodent found in Alaska’s forests and shrubby environments. These stout, slow-moving creatures have short legs, a muscular tail, and a thick layer of body fat. They can weigh up to about […]
PUPIK – PIMPLES PUPIKA PUKSUWAQA. – I PINCHED MY PIMPLE. From pimples and boils to burns, sores, and rashes, skin irritations are a common problem. The Alutiiq word pupik can be used to describe all of these conditions. Early accounts of Alutiiq communities report that skin ulcers were widespread, often caused by insect bites. Alutiiq healers lanced boils […]
KITAIT’SAAQ – CHINESE PERSON CUUMI KITAIT’SAAT TAITAALLRIIT KAANARIMEN PEKCATURLUTENG. – CHINESE PEOPLE USED TO COME TO WORK IN THE CANNERIES. Late 19th century political unrest in China led large numbers of people to leave the country. Booming industries—the gold rush, railroads, and canneries—attracted Chinese immigrants to the United States. On Kodiak, Chinese laborers were a critical […]