Alutiiq Language Elementary Curriculum
All published Alutiiq language materials on this website are for educational usage. You will find audio links for lesson vocabulary in both the Northern and Southern Kodiak Alutiiq styles to support usage of language materials and activities. We plan to provide a password protected online discussion board [COMING SOON] for instructors and learners to post comments and suggestions for revision or expanded usage of vocabulary and resources so that they serve as living documents. Until this site feature is available, please send in your suggestions to Kari Sherod, Afognak Alutiiq Language Manager or call her at 907-486-6357. We hope educators will take advantage of this opportunity to share insights and recommendations so we can continue to improve these resources.
Kodiak Alutiiq Elementary Language Curriculum
Level I & II: 40 lessons, with Alutiiq audio files
Kodiak Alutiiq Thematic Curriculum Units
6 grade-appropriate units (Kindergarden through 5th grade)
Kodiak Alutiiq Language Storybooks
10 Books with read-aloud Alutiiq audio files
In 2008, NVA received a grant from the Administration for Native Americans (ANA) to publish a Kodiak Alutiiq Language Curriculum for students in preschool through 5th grade, translating materials originally developed by neighboring Chugach Sugpiaq/Alutiiq into both Northern and Southern style Kodiak Alutiiq. Through this one-year Native Language Preservation & Maintenance Planning Grant, NVA implemented our Kodiak Alutiiq Curriculum Project in partnership with Chugachmiut, Alutiiq Museum, Kodiak Island Borough School District, Native Educators of the Alutiiq Region, KMXT Radio Station, with support from many other Kodiak Native organizations.
Through this project, we accomplished our objective to develop an early childhood Alutiiq language curriculum that reflects the Kodiak Alutiiq's community's values and traditions and provides a framework for sharing our values and traditions within schools and tribal education programs in the Kodiak Archipelago. As our long-term goal is to significantly increase the number of young Alutiiq speakers, we designed our project's objective to do just that: to increase access to Alutiiq language through curriculum and instructional resources, resulting in at least 4 organizations using the new Kodiak Alutiiq curriculum in their classes. We are pleased to report that distribution of our curriculum resources is anticipated to exceed these expectations and provide a solid starting point for expansion of Alutiiq language instruction efforts.
We hope you enjoy these materials and we offer our heartfelt gratitude to the following organizations and individuals who assisted in completion of this project. As our ANA project closes, we will continue to expand on this online resource and actively support Alutiiq language education into the future.
Kodiak Island Borough School District (KIBSD)
Native Education Curriculum Committee of KIBSD
Native Educators of the Alutiiq Region (NEAR)
KMXT Radio Station
Nadia Mullen Alutiiq Heritage Library
Alaska Native Language Center, University of Alaska Fairbanks
A. Holmes Johnson Public Library
Kodiak College Library
Koniag Native Corporation
Afognak Native Corporation
Natives of Kodiak
Old Harbor Native Corporation
Ouzinkie Native Corporation
Spruce Island Development Corporation (SIDCO)
Kodiak Area Native Association
Sun’aq Tribe of Kodiak
Native Village of Port Lions
Woody Island Tribal Council
Native Village of Larsen Bay
Native Village of Ouzinkie
Native Village of Old Harbor
Native Village of Akhiok
Karluk IRA Tribal Council
April Laktonen Counceller
John “JP” Pestrikoff
Sophie Katelnikoff Shepherd
Ag'waneq Language Program
The Native Village of Afognak, in partnership with the Afognak Native Corporation, the Native Village of Port Lions, the Alutiiq Museum, Koniag Education Foundation, and the Kodiak College are sponsoring a survey to identify individuals interested in learning and/or supporting the Alutiiq Language Revitalization Initiative. Please complete the survey at:
For more information about the survey please contact Ag'waneq Language Program Manager, Kari Sherod at 486-6357.