Talisman — Nakernaq Carliarluki nakernaten. Nakciquten. – Take care of your talisman. You will be lucky. A rabbit’s foot, a four-leaf clover, a horseshoe–these are all widely recognized symbols of luck in modern American life. They are talismans, objects believed to provide good fortune or personal protection. People in all cultures use talismans, often carrying […]
Dirt — Iqaq Tan’urat waamut iqami. – The boys are playing in the dirt. The soils in the Kodiak region are relatively young, formed since the end of the last ice age less than twelve thousand years ago. Deposits of volcanic ash brought to the archipelago by the wind and the weathering of bedrock and […]
Bracelet — Tayarnerutaq Tayarnerutamek nuliqa pikisk’gka. – I gave my wife a bracelet. The Alutiiq word tayarnerutaq means “something for your wrist.” In classical Alutiiq society, several objects fell into this category. Some items worn on the wrist were jewelry, bracelets created for adornment. In the nineteenth century, Alutiiq women wore bracelets fashioned from glass beads. Worn […]
Louse — Neresta Aikut nerestangq’rtut. – The dogs have lice. Historic accounts indicate that lice were a constant plague in Native communities. These small, rapidly reproducing parasites were hard to eradicate, as people lived in tight quarters where they passed easily from one person to the next. Moreover, people wore heavy fur and bird skin […]