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Wild Foods

A wild foods potluck featuring salmon, venison, greens, and more.

 A scatter of broken clamshells hints that an octopus is hiding under a nearby rock. Seal intestines should be rinsed with salt water before stuffing. Eating fatty king salmon can interfere with the effectiveness of some plant medicines. These are examples of the cultural knowledge of wild foods preserved in Alutiiq people. Learn from expert harvesters in this series of videos tutorials then try some recipes from our Wild Foods Cookbook.

An Alutiiq Year
Kodiak Environment

Cooking with Elders

  • Julie Knagin, Ruth Dawson, Sally Carlough, Julia Naughton, and Herman Squartsoff talk about harvesting berries.  Pat Kozak demonstrates how to make ciitaq (cheeduk)—mashed berries with sugar and milk.

  • Julie Knagin, Gayla Pedersen, Judy Michener, Florence Pestrikof, Mary Haakanson, and Herman Squartsoff discuss harvesting, cleaning and eating chitons.

  • Carl Gronn shares his method for salting cod.

  • Patrick Saltonstall, Ruth Dawson, and Teresa Carlson talk about deer hunting, butchering, and preparing different cuts of meat.

  • Iver Malutin, Nick Alokli, Sally Carlough, Florence Pestrikoff, Mary Haakanson, and Sven Haakanson, Jr. talk about duck hunting and demonstrate how to pluck, butcher and cook duck.

  • Gayla Pedersen and Julie Knagin talk about the medicinal uses and nutritional value of wild greens.

  • Marya Halvorsen catches a halibut. Teresa Carlson, Ruth Dawson, Judy Michener, Julie Knagin, and Gayla Pedersen talk about drying and cooking halibut.

  • Gayla Pedersen, Ruth Dawson, and Herman Squartsoff discuss the nutritional value of marine plants, share their favorite ways to prepare these plants, and talk about using kelp as a garden fertilizer.

  • Herman Squartsoff demonstrates how to clean and cook octopus.

  • Julie Knagin and Marya Halvorsen discuss butchering and cooking ptarmigan.

  • Julie Knagin, Teresa Carlson, Gayla Pedersen, Sally Carlough, Ruth Dawson, Herman Squartsoff, and Julia Naughton talk about smoking salmon and making perok (fish pie).

Produced with support from the National Park Service Tribal Heritage program with assistance from Alf Pryor.
Music: Umiaqartaqa – I Remember It, by April Laktonen Counceller with assistance from Nick Alokli, Theresa John Agatha, John Sheilds, and Desiree Cronnin-Tallman.

Neq’rkat—Wild Foods Cookbook

Ptarmigan jerky. Kelp chips. Pickled Octopus.  These are just a sample of the tasty recipes you will find in The Wild Foods Cookbook, a museum publication that highlights the preparation of locally harvested foods. This 68-page book explores Alutiiq cuisine from beverages and appetizers to side dishes, main courses, and deserts. Illustrated with photos from the museum’s collections.

Wild Foods Cookbook
Wild Foods Cookbook