Arm — Ipik Ipigka awa tukniya’utuk. – My arms now are getting weak. In classical Alutiiq society, people wore long, hoodless robes stitched from bird or animal skins. These garments had loose, heavy sleeves that could make completing daily chores difficult. To facilitate work, seamstresses created slits in the sides of these robes, long narrow […]
Shrimp — Kumitgarpak Kumitgarpat piturnirtaartut. – Shrimp are tasty. There are five species of shrimp in Gulf of Alaska waters—including coonstripe, sidestripe, humpy, northern, and spot varieties. The Alaska spot prawn (Pandalus platyceros) is the largest and a popular addition to dinner tables. These tasty invertebrates are found from northern British Columbia to the eastern […]
Fish Rack — Initaq Iqallut iniki initamen. – Hang the fish on the fish rack. Fish racks are an essential feature of Alutiiq communities. Although salmon, halibut, and cod are abundant in Kodiak waters, each is seasonally available. Salmon return to the islands waters in great numbers in summer and fall, and ocean fish move […]
Computer — Umiartusqaq Umiartusqaq masiinaq stuulumi et’uq. – The computer is on the table. There is a common misconception that technological change is synonymous with cultural change, that as people adopt new items of technology they adopt the values and perspectives of other cultures. For example, many visitors to Alaska think there are no true […]