Carliaq, Piipeq—Baby Katie carliangkutartuq.—Katie is going to have a baby. Among the Alutiiq people, babies are signs of luck. In traditional society, women gave birth with the help of a healer, who functioned both as a midwife and a community doctor. Pregnant women began visiting the midwife when they were three to five months pregnant. […]
Cukingq’rtuq—Barbed Iqsak cukingq’rtuq.—The fishhook has a barb. Alutiiq hunters carved barbs into a variety of weapons. This included harpoon heads, arrow heads, leister prongs, and fish hooks made of strong, shock absorbing bone, as well as sharp-edged lance heads ground from slate. These barbs were carefully designed to grip an animal’s flesh. Barb size and […]
esson 2142 Wamluni, Salirluni—Play Wamqutartut.—They are going to play. Education in Alutiiq communities focused on training children the essential skills of adult life. Young people learned these skills by listening to stories and legends, helping their Elders, and imitating adult activities with toys. Archaeological sites in the Kodiak Archipelago have produced many miniature items—tiny duplicates […]
Anaqiitaq—Sea Cucumber Allrani guangkuta nertaartukut anaqiitanek.—Sometimes we eat sea cucumbers. The sea cucumber is an echinoderm, a creature related to sea urchins and sea stars. There are many varieties of sea cucumbers found in Alaska waters, from intertidal areas to the edge of the continental shelf. Sea cucumbers are known for their ability to expel […]