Alutiiq word of the week

The Alutiiq word of the week is qalngaa’aq, which refers to the crow. Speakers distinguish this term from qalnga’aq, the word for raven. The crow word may translate to “little raven,” though the two birds differ in size and shape.

Alaska hosts one specific crow species, the northwestern crow. This bird is smaller than the American Crow and lives along the Pacific coast from Washington state to southcentral Alaska. It also appears in the eastern Aleutian Islands. The northwestern crow favors coastal areas, including beaches, tidal marshes, and spruce forests near the ocean.

These birds build nests in trees, on boulders, and in deadfalls. They eat shellfish, fish, berries, and insects. Crows also frequent human settlements, where they forage in garbage.

People often confuse crows with ravens. Crows have a square tail and make unique calls. They produce sounds like “kaah” and “wok-wok-wok,” along with clicks and rattling noises. Some crows even meow like cats.

An Alutiiq story from Prince William Sound describes a village on Hinchinbrook Island. An old woman hung fish to dry outside. Children later told her crows were eating the fish. She took her bow and arrow and sang a song to drive the birds away while shooting at them. She missed the crows but learned to dry her food inside the smokehouse.