Sod — Nikiiq Engluq nikiimek patumauq. – The house is covered with sod. The lush grasses of Alaska’s coastal meadows produce more than just weaving material for Native people. The thick tangles of roots, which cling to deep underlying layers of soil, were traditionally cut into blocks and used in house construction. Piles of sod […]
Each Memorial Day, Washington, like cities across the U.S., offers events to honor members of the military who died while serving their countries — a parade through the streets, a ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, and motorcycles rolling through the city. Alongside these widely known events are other services for Memorial Day, observed last Monday […]
Clean (to be) — Perinani; Eprinani Nateq eprituq.—The floor is clean. The Alutiiq word for clean comes from the root word pere– which means to be filthy! Add a negative post base and you get perinani, to not be filthy. This verb means to be clean. It is not used for the act of cleaning, but rather […]
Rose Hip — Qelempaq April-rem qelempaq caayuq pingaktaaraa. – April likes the rose hip tea. The Nootka rose (Rosa nutkana) is a spindly shrub that grows in open areas throughout coastal Alaska. It is commonly found along streams and shorelines and in meadows, thickets, and open forests. These prickly bushes flower with pink blossoms each […]