Alutiiq Language Speakers

Kathryn Chichenoff was born in Karluk in 1937, and is renowned for her knowledge of the Northern Kodiak style of Alutiiq.

April Gale Laktonen Counceller, also known as Isiik ("Owl"), is currently the Executive Director at the Alutiiq Museum and Archaeological Repository.

Also known as Agisaq ("Lookout") or Englartaq ("Laugher"), Alisha has studied Alutiiq for over 10 years and has attained advanced fluency.

A lifelong member of the Kodiak community, Susan Malutin is from Alutiiq families with roots in Afognak and Ukamok (Chirikof Island) villages.

Florence Matfay Christiansen Pestrikoff was born in Akhiok in 1937. Although she says she became involved in the Alutiiq language revitalization movement “accidentally,” she has remained involved for nearly 15 years.

Sophie Katelnikoff Shepherd was born in Karluk in 1927. Her apprentices call her Taquka’aq ("Bear").

Clyda Christiansen lived in Larsen Bay and Karluk. Clyda shared stories and oral histories, which are contained in the Alutiiq Museum collections.

Nick Alokli was born in 1936 at the Alitak Cannery near Akhiok, and grew up in Akhiok and at Egkuq in the Olga Bay Narrows.

Julia was born in Afognak, Alaska in 1929. Her parents were Afonie and Christina Knagin Lukin.

Candace Branson is an advanced Alutiiq speaker and teacher. Her Alutiiq name is Cutmen ("Moving Forward").

Fred Coyle learned Alutiiq from his mother and father, and has helped to establish an Alutiiq language learning group in Anchorage in collaboration with Irene Coyle and John Yakanak.

Born in California, Alfred Quijance grew up speaking Alutiiq and moved to Kodiak when he was eleven years old. He and his wife Helen now live in Seldovia, where he enjoys carpentry and eating traditional foods such as duck, seal, and baidarkies.

Born in Old Harbor to Walter and Julia Melovedoff, Sally Carlough grew up in Kaguyak. She has since lived in Kodiak, Akhiok, and Anchorage.

Ephim Moonin was born in Nanwalek to Herman and Annie Moonin. He grew up speaking only Sugt'stun until he went to school.

Irene was born in Akhiok. She learned Alutiiq by listening to her father, grandmother, and grandfather, and has helped to establish an Alutiiq language learning program in Anchorage in collaboration with Fred Coyle and John Yakanak.

Rhoda Moonin is a fluent Sugt'stun speaker who has worked as language coordinator in an immersion preschool.

Sally Ash was born and raised in Nanwalek. After training as a hairdresser, she went on to teach at a Sugt'stun immersion school along with her sister, Rhoda Moonin.