Unit 8: Salmon

Nunapet Tang’rhniqlluki

“Caring for our land”

The central Alutiiq value for this unit represents the ways in which we are in harmony and symbiosis with the land, water, and those around us. It manifests in the knowledge acquired over thousands of years that has sustained Alutiiq people: the maintenance of a cycle of balance and respect. From knowing how to read the tides to sharing food and giving respect to the plants and animals that feed us.

Taking care of the land, sea, sky, and animals means taking care of the things that provide abundance. Reciprocity is woven into taking care of the land: when we take something from the environment, or from each other, we always try to give back. This is appropriate because this unit is all about the salmon lifecycle. Alutiiq people have always relied on salmon as a main source of nutrition and as materials for clothing and decoration. Alutiiq people use almost all of the salmon, making sure to give back the parts they don’t use to the lands or waters.

Alutiiq Cultural Value • Unit 8