Mazzaq Tigittuaq - Traditional Plants

The land has provided a livelihood for Our People for many centuries. Today our land continues to provide an abundance of nutritional plants and berries with vital carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals that sustain us year-round. The knowledge of how to harvest, prepare and preserve these medicinal and nutritional plants and berries has been passed down from generation to generation.

Learn about a few traditional plants from BSNC shareholder and culture-bearer Marilyn Koezuna-Irelan. Marilyn and her family are originally from the now uninhabited island of King Island. Marilyn is a fluent speaker of Inupiaq in the King Island dialect. She was taught by her mother about many plants that are traditionally gathered. BSNC thanks Marilyn for sharing her traditional knowledge for this video. BSNC's educational series titled Mazzaq Tigittuaq, Inupiaq for “sunrise," celebrates the culture and knowledge of Our People.