Birch — Qasrulek, Uqgwik Ikani uqgwit tak’ut. – The birch trees over there are tall. The Kenai birch (Betula kenaica) is a deciduous tree with a grey, papery bark and pointed oval leaves. The Kenai birch grows in scattered groves around the Kodiak Archipelago. It is particularly abundant near the communities of Larsen Bay and […]
[content id=”79272″] Mask — Maas’kaaq, Giinaruaq, Giinaquq Maas’kaaq aturu. – Use the mask. Masking is an ancient Alutiiq tradition. For centuries, Native artists carved images of powerful ancestors, animal spirits, and mythological beings into wood and bark. Masks were made in many sizes. Palm-sized miniatures may have been used to teach children traditional stories or […]
[content id=”79272″] Whistler Duck / Scoter — Kukumyaa’aq Kukmyaa’at meqniitut.—Whistler ducks are hard to pluck. The whistler duck or black duck is the local name for the black scoter (Melanitta nigra americana). These large, sea ducks are known for taking a running start to become airborne. Males have black plumage and a distinctive rounded, orange knob […]
[content id=”79272″] Dream — Qawangurtuaq, Qawanguq Qawangurtuataartut. – They always dream. For Alutiiq people, dreaming is a magical state, one that draws people closer to the spirit world. Encounters between people and spirits often take place in dreams or as a person awakes from sleep. Shamans, people who interact closely with spirits, their apprentices through […]