Qiteq – Rain Sun’ami qitengtaartuq. – It rains all the time in Kodiak. From September to April, a winter storm crosses the Gulf of Alaska about every five days, bringing intense rain, high winds, and heavy seas. Surrounded by ocean and encircled by Alaska’s high coastal mountains, Kodiak is continually exposed to the full force of […]
Piturni’isuutet – Spices Neq’rkat piturni’isuutet ilaluki. – Add the spices to the food. Fresh and dried herbs are a staple of many recipes. From the peppery zing of parsley to the earthy taste of ground cumin, herbs provide flavor, texture, and color to dishes. Alutiiq chefs spice their cooking with a variety of Kodiak’s wild […]
Qawangurtuaq – Dream Qawangurtuataartut. –They always dream. For Alutiiq people, dreaming is a magical state, one that draws people closer to the spirit world. Encounters between people and spirits often take place in dreams or as a person awakes from sleep. Shamans, people who interact closely with spirits, their apprentices through dreams, and dreams are thought […]
QALUTAQ – DIPPER, LADLE, BAILER MAQIWIGMI QALUTAT ATURTAAPET. – WE USE DIPPERS IN THE BANYA. Enter an Alutiiq steam bath and you will find an assortment of tools for bathing. Adjacent to a wood-burning stove fashioned from a fifty-five-gallon oil drum are large metal tubs for storing, heating, and mixing water; tongs for loading the stove […]