Aleut Town — Nasqualek Cuumi suuget Nasqualegmi etaallriit. – People used to live in Aleut Town. Afognak Village grew from a pair of neighboring towns—Russian Town and Aleut Town. These small communities were built about a mile apart on the western shore of Afognak Bay. At the south end of the area lay Rutkovsky village, […]
Cook — Kenirluni, Uuceslluku Nulima keniyaskiinga akgua’aq sitiin’kamek. – My wife cooked me pork chops last night. Food traditions are central aspect of a society’s cultural identity. The foods that people eat, and the dishes they make from these foods, are some of the most deeply held social customs. People who immigrate to new lands […]
Braided Seal Gut — Qiluryaq 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 […]
Naked — Matarngaluni Atkuinateng, nukallpiat agnguartaallriit, matarngaluteng. – Taking off their clothes, men used to always dance naked. Clothing is an ancient and uniquely human invention. No other species makes and wears clothes. Anthropologists believe that clothing evolved for both practical and social purposes, to protect the human body from weather and to share messages. […]