Siilaq–Awl Siilaq ipegtuq.–The awl is sharp. An awl is a sharp, pointed tool used to punch holes in leather. In prehistoric times, Alutiiq people fashioned awls from wood, bone, and ivory. Archaeological data indicate that bird bone was the most common material. To create an awl, a carver removed the knobby ends from the hollow […]
Tugluq–Fermented oil, berry pulp & vegetables Tugulitaarllriit puckami piturluku nangluku–They always used to make tugluq in barrels and eat it until it is done (all winter). There is no one English word that describes tugluq, a flavorful, traditional, Alutiiq dish. Like akutaq or ciitaq, tugluq was a mixture of ingredients tailored to the maker’s tastes […]
MuRutuumasqaq – Battered Thing Una muRutuumasqaq yaamamek giinangq’rtuq. – This pounded rock has a face. Alutiiq people crafted stone into a variety of useful tools, turning Kodiak bedrock into subsistence gear, utensils, and artwork. There were three major ways of working stone. People chipped glassy chert into elegant arrows and hide scrapers. They ground slate […]
Qiluryaq – Braided Seal Gut Taugkut qiluryat ekllinartut. – Those braided seal gut look delicious. Visitors to Kodiak often ask how Alutiiq people can hunt protected species like sea otters and sea lions. In 1972, the Marine Mammal Protection Act prohibited the harvesting of all marine mammals to preserve their populations. However, this law recognizes […]