URIITAQ – CHITON KASUKUAGMEN AGKUMA, URIITARSURCIQUA. – WHEN I GO TO AKHIOK I AM GOING TO GO GET SOME BIDARKIES (CHITONS). Kodiak’s intertidal fauna include a variety of chitons, a mollusk related to clams, snails, and limpets. Chitons have eight symmetrical, overlapping shell plates that cover a soft body and a large oval foot. […]
QILUT – GUTS AANAQA ISUWIM QILUNEK KENIRLLIA. – MY MOTHER COOKED SEAL GUTS. In addition to food and oil, Kodiak’s mammals provided the Alutiiq with gut: a flexible, durable, waterproof material derived from the intestines of bears and sea mammals. Gut was sewn into a variety of bags, caps, and hooded jackets: the Gortex […]
AMIIK – DOOR AMIIK PATUMAUQ – THE DOOR IS CLOSED. Alutiiq people once entered their sod houses through low, narrow passageways—or entrance tunnels. The door to this tunnel was about a three feet square and usually faced the nearest waterway. A piece of seal or sea lion skin tied to the posts framing the […]
QAUGLUK — EYEBROWS ILAIT QAUGLUTUTAARTUT.— SOME EYE BROWS ARE LONG. Faces are a common subject in Alutiiq sculpture and graphic art. Petroglyphs, paintings, incised drawings, masks, dolls, and other carvings show both human and animal faces. In all these mediums, artists use a distinctive design—a connected nose and brow motif. A straight line symbolizes […]