Uluq – Tongue Ulun an’sgu! – Stick out your tongue! One difficult step in mastering the Alutiiq language is learning to use distinct sounds. The Alutiiq alphabet is phonetic, meaning each letter has its own sound. While some of these sounds are similar to those found in English, others are unique. For example, the ‘n’ […]
RUUWAQ – ARROW NUKALLPIAT RUUWARTAALLRIIT AGAYUWIM TUNUANI. – THE MEN USED TO SHOOT ARROWS BEHIND THE CHURCH. Alutiiq hunters carried a variety of arrows: powerful, accurate weapons launched with a stout wooden bow. Each arrow had a slender wooden shaft carved from spruce, cedar, or hemlock and was painted red and fletched with eagle feathers. […]
ET’UUQ – DEEP TAANGAQ ET’UUQ. – THE WATER IS DEEP. Alaskan fishermen pull all sorts of interesting things out of the ocean. The North Pacific’s strong currents carry an abundance of flotsam to Kodiak waters, delivering items from as far away as the tropics. Sometimes, however, these finds come not from surface of the ocean […]
PASHMAKIIT – SHOES NAAMA PASHMAKIIGKA? – WHERE’S MY (2) SHOES? Traditional Alutiiq clothing included long hoodless bird-skin parkas, waterproof gut jackets, and a variety of fur, spruce root, and wooden hats, but footgear was rarely worn. Only in the coldest weather did people put on shoes. Next time you watch the Kodiak Alutiiq Dancers, […]