AKA: (Aleut) Up; straight out there.
AMGIGH: (Aleut—pronounced with undefined vowel syllable between “m” and “g” and unvoiced ending) Blood.
BABICHE: Lacing made from rawhide. Probably from the Cree word “assababish,” a diminutive of “assabab,” thread.
CHAGAK: (Aleut—also; chagagh) Obsidian. (In the Aleut Atkan dialect, red cedar.)
CHIGADAX: (Aleut—ending unvoiced) A waterproof parka made of sea lion or bear intestines, esophagus of seal or sea lion, or the tongue skin of a whale. The hood had a drawstring and the sleeves were tied at the wrist for sea travel. These knee-length garments were often decorated with feathers and pieces of colored esophagus.
IK: (Aleut) Open-topped skin boat.
IKYAK, pl.IKYAN: (Aleut—also, iqyax, pl. iqyas) A canoe-shaped boat made of skins stretched around a wooden frame with an opening in the top for the occupant; a kayak.
KAYUGH: (Aleut—also, kayux) Strength of muscle; power.
SAMIQ: (Aleut) Stone dagger or knife.
SHUGANAN: (Origin and exact meaning obscure) Relating to an ancient people.
SUK: (Aleut—also, sugh; ending unvoiced) A hood-less parka with a standing collar. These garments were often made of birdskins and could be worn inside out (with the feathers on the inside) for warmth.
TUGIX: (Aleut) Aorta, large blood vessel.
ULAKIDAQ: (Aleut) A multitude of dwellings; a group of houses.
ULAQ, pl. ULAS: (Aleut—also, ulax) A dwelling dug into the side of a hill, raftered with driftwood and/or whale jawbones and thatched with sod and grass.
The native words listed here are defined according to their use in Mother Earth Father Sky. As with many native languages that were recorded by Europeans, there are multiple spellings of almost every word as well as dialectal differences.