Lent — Pustaaq In Alutiiq communities, the Lenten season covers the forty days preceding Orthodox Easter. The two or three weeks before Lent are often a time of celebration, in preparation for the fasting and quiet lifestyle expected in the days leading up to Easter. Before Lent, Alutiiq people eat lots of good food, hold […]
Corporation — Akilingnaq’sqat Akilingnaq’sqat angsinartut akilingnaqlluteng. – Some corporations are big and they are trying to make money. Forty years ago, the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act returned forty-four million acres of land and 962.5 million dollars to Alaska’s Native people. Known by its acronym ANCSA, this historic piece of federal legislation represented a turning […]
Mal’ugnek segnengq’rtua, kinam tenglukiinga! – I got two black eyes, somebody hit me! There are many ways to get a black eye. Elders recall that men and boys working around swinging fishing gear were frequently bruised in the face. Others got shiners from fighting, particularly after school. Parents forbid such sparring and would punish them […]
Slave — Metqaq AMLESQANEK METQANGQ’RTUQ. – HE HAS A LOT OF SLAVES. Like their Tlingit and Aleut neighbors, Alutiiq people lived in a ranked society. Individuals were born into one of three classes: elite, common, or slave. These social distinctions ordered much of daily life. From dividing subsistence foods to sharing a meal, giving gifts, […]