Digging Update Another busy day out at Nuvuk. The trench is being checked to determine if there are human remains or other interesting materials in it. The DriftWood Feature continues to be excavated, that’s where I spent most of my time today. We uncovered bone fragments, lots of wood fragments, one with an unknown bright blue color, a bunch of burnt wood fragments, lots of unusual rocks, and some possibly heated, brick red pebbles. Not as crazy as last Friday but still making progress on the site. We continue to expose wood pieces so this project will be going on for some time. Other folks worked on shovel test pits, checking to see if there are other burial sites coming up. I apologize for not taking more pictures, I get working, stay working, and don’t remember to stop and take pictures of the objects we are uncovering.
Spelling and Vocabulary Friday, for as long as I can remember was always spelling quiz day. The format and the procedure have changed significantly but the concept is still the same; learn some vocabulary, work on a spelling rule or pattern, and try and enjoy the word play. Up here, the Inupiat elders still speak their native language at times. I was chatting with to two elders outside of the grocery store last night. What a wonderful sounding language!! I wish I had my voice recorder device, I will try to capture some conversations.
The Inupiat language has been a spoken language so the spelling gets a little complicated. The high school kids speak some of the words below, usually the words that refer to animals or native food. The elders I spoke to said that speaking Inupiat, requires you to "twist your tongue around a little”. Recent efforts have been made to maintain this native language as well as others.
Here's the quiz. Match the Inupiat Word on the left with the English Word on the right. Write on your piece of paper the number and letter of words that mean the same things. For example, 1A would mean that Ukpiagvik means Whale Meat.
Some of these words have been in signs that have shown up on this journal so you can go look if you want. Good Luck!!
Inupiat Word English Word 1. Ukpiagvik A. Whale Meat 2. Paglagivsi B. Polar Bear 3. Ugruk C. Sun 4. Agviq D. Walrus 5. Aiviq E. Goose 6. Nanuq F. Seal 7. Nigliq G. Welcome 8. Siqiniq H. Place to Hunt Owls 9. Muktuk I. Bowhead Whale 10. Ilisagvik J. Place to Learn
Here’s a few pictures to help you come up with the rule for a word that means "place”.
Place to gather or get together is probably the actual translation.
This office belongs to the Coast Guard. They are out to sea at this time. This could also be called place where you meet.
Did you find the pattern? Words that end in "-vik" means place. Double check your answers above, see if that clue helps.
Last chance for guesses. All set? How do you think you did? It’s really hard. Here’s the answer code:
1H 2G 3F 4I 5D 6B 7E 8C 9A 10J
I hope to be able to learn more myself and be able to at least hear a word or two in the native language, Inupiat.
Here are two other critical words that one should know if you are visiting Barrow or any of the other 8 communities in the North Slope Borough of Alaska. Hope you get a chance to visit up here, it a truly a magnificent, unique place.
No explanation needed, yet it is enjoyable to see the native language.
Universal signs in this case just reinforce the native language.
Thanks for taking the quiz. Tomorrow we meet Geoff and Dennis, two research scientists working with DNA.