Nick Alokli
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. His parents were Lezon Alokli and Axenia Yakanak Alokli. He had three children with his wife Ellen Gomez Alokli, and currently resides in Kodiak. He was a fisherman for over 50 years. He first became involved in the culture and language movement in 2000 when he was invited to teach at Native Village of Afognak’s Dig Afognak camp. He has been a Language Master since 2003, a voice for the Alutiiq Word of the Week on public radio KMXT since 2004, and on the Kodiak Alutiiq New Words Council since 2007. His Alutiiq name is Nickolai Kesiin ("Only Nick"), which was given to him by his father.
"Cuumi power block-riitaall'iit. No winch. We did it all by hand. In the sea, your hands would be so tough. Callouses and... boy. Two hundred fathom seine. We used to pull it in by hand."
"They didn't have power blocks back then. No winch. We did it all by hand. In the sea, your hands would be so tough. Callouses and... boy. Two hundred fathom seine. We used to pull it in by hand."
Kodiak, Alaska