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 […]
KANGIYANGCUK, KICARWIK – HARBOR PARAGUUTAQA KICAK’GKA KANGIYANGCUGMI. — I ANCHORED MY BOAT IN THE HARBOR. Alutiiq people have long located their settlements in places that provide safe access to the ocean. In Kodiak’s stormy climate, the ability to launch and land boats is essential for people who hunt, fish, and work on the water. With […]
KIA’IWIK – KIAVAK BAY KIA’IWIK YAQSIN’ITUQ NUNIAMEK. – KIAVAK BAY IS NOT FAR FROM OLD HARBOR. Kiavak Bay lies on the southeast coast of Kodiak Island. This long, narrow waterway stretches about 8 km west into the Kodiak Mountains. A spit divides the bay in two, creating distinct inner and outer environments. The outer bay […]