Pas’rsaq – PasagshakQuteq Pas’rsami cucunartuq. – The beach at Pasagshak is beautiful. Place names are like the layers of an archaeological sites, an accumulation of cultural information reflecting local history. Overtime, as events shape communities and cultures change, the names used to describe the landscape evolve as well. Some names stick, others fade. The resulting […]
Tuuciik – ElderberryTuuciiqutat alagnangq’rtaatut. – The elderberry bushes always have berries. Red elderberry (Sambucus racemosa) is a large shrub with toothed leaves and soft wood that grows up to twelve feet tall. This bush occurs throughout northern North America in both wooded and open areas. Around Kodiak, it is particularly fond of the rich organic […]
Isuwim Carlia’a; Qaigya’aq – Baby SealIsuwim carlia’a ineqsunartuq. – The seal’s baby is cute. Harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) are year-round residents of Kodiak’s nearshore waters. Biologists consider them sedentary because they tend to stay in one area throughout their lives, visiting the same spots to feed, rest, breed, and pup. Like sea lions, harbor seals […]
Kasnaam Ernera – Independence DayErnerpak Kasnaam ernera. – Today is Independence Day. People often think of summer as a time when communities disperse, as people move to fish camps or travel. But where resources are abundant and predictable, communities often gather in the summer. Long, warm days offer opportunities to harvest foods and to socialize. […]