Tamuuq—Dry Fish Tamuuq kinertaa.—The fish is dry. Catching salmon is only the first step in a long process of preserving summer’s abundance for winter use. The real work begins once the fish are in the net. In the past, Alutiiq women used slate knifes, known as ulus, to clean and split fish, which they hung […]
Amarsaq (N), Amaryaq (S)—High Bush Cranberry Amaryat quuhnartaartut.—Highbush cranberries are (always) sour. The highbush cranberry (Viburnum edule), known locally as the bog berry or sour berry, is a large flowering shrub that grows in Kodiak’s thickets and clearings, often in shady spots. This plant, found widely across North America, produces small red berries that dangle […]
Litnauwista, Uciitilaq—Teacher Litnauwistarpet asirtuq.—Our teacher is good. Western-style teachers became part of the Kodiak landscape in the late eighteenth century, soon after the arrival of Russian fur traders. Although Alutiiq adults taught their children the skills they needed for life in the Alutiiq world, a small number of boys began to study the Russian language, […]
Urungilet, Urunguliit—Green Salmonberries Aanama niu’utaaqiinga “Urunguliit piturkunaki.”—My mom always told me not to eat the unripe salmonberries. Salmonberries (Rubus spectabilis Pursh) are perhaps the most widely harvested wild fruit in the Kodiak region. The big juicy berries are a favorite summer treat, enjoyed fresh and in a mouth-watering assortment of deserts and preserves. Salmonberries flower […]