NaRiaciik (N); NaRaciik (S) – Boat Captain Kugyasigtaangama naRaciyutaallianga. – When I was fishing (seining), I used to be a captain. (Click sentence to hear Alutiiq words spoken.) The Alutiiq word for boat captain, naRiaciikor naRaciik, comes from Russian. It includes a small capital R to indicate an “r“ sound, as in the English […]
Cukiq – Thorn; Sliver Allrani aigaqa cukirtaartuq. – Sometimes I get a sliver on my hand. (Click sentence to hear Alutiiq words spoken.) The Alutiiq word for thorn, cukiq, can be used to mean sliver, thorn, barb, quill, or even spruce needle, and the word for the prickly devil’s club, cukilanarpak, means “plant with […]
Itgaq (Literally, “foot”) – Flipper Gui wiinam itgai pingaktaanka. – I always like the sea lion’s feet. (Click sentence to hear Alutiiq words spoken.) Sea mammals propel themselves through Alaska’s coastal waters with strong, sleek flippers. Flippers not only help animals swim, they can be important tools for exiting the water and moving on […]
MiskiiRaq; MiskiiRiat – Spider Ugnerkami miskiiRiat amleritaartut. – In the spring there are many spiders. (Click sentence to hear Alutiiq words spoken) There at least 350 species of spiders in Alaska, belonging to seventeen families. Spiders are not insects. They are close relatives of ticks and mites and belong to a group called arachnids. […]