TUULLIQ
Inupiaq dictionary of common plant, animal, and place
 names for the Tuulliq Lake area.

This initial Inupiaq Dictionary is by no means complete, but will serve as a primary reference for a few of the terms that have or are being used by the Inupiaqs pertaining to the land in the Brooks Range area.  Additional words or terms will be added in the future.  On certain words I have noted the pronunciation of certain letters.  Initial endeavor of this will mainly pertain to animals, plants, and the environment around the Inupiaq culture.
Roosevelt Paneak 10/2002
 

Ground Squirrel

Siksrik
 

(sick-ric)

Food
Parka, Number needed for parka 75 to 80.
Ideally harvested in late fall. This is due to spring mating fights that sometimes make the fur unusable.

Caribou

Food source
Clothing, as in parkas, pants, mittens and footwear.
Tools such as arrow, spear points,shovels,snowknives,and handle material for many implements.
Dehaired skin was used for qayaqs and making babich (rope or twine)
Dog packs during summer time.

Arctic loon (Gavia artica)

Food Staple
After harvesting, the head and skin  was used for ceremonial dances.
 

Arctic tern

Common raven

Snowy owl

Mitqutailaq (Without needle)

Tulugaq

Nipailuktaq (flies silent)

Snow

Snowdrift

Deep snow

Fresh snow

Crystallized snow

Hard snow

Wet falling snow

Blowing snow

Snow overhang

Avalanche

No snow(descriptive)

Hard rippled snow

Aniuvaq

Mauya

Nutagaq

Pukaraq

Qanikluk

Natigviq

Mapsag

Sisuuk

Aputailaq

Qayulaq

Toolik Lake

Tuulliq (Yellow-billed loon)

 Atigun

Tunugun

Atiguun-(to place under)

Tunugun(On the lee side of the canyon)

Atiguun  means the lower side of the Atigun Canyon as noted on contemporary maps.

Tunugun is on the lee side of the Atigun Canyon as noted on the contemporary maps.

Pronounciation of the word Atiguun, the letter “g” is silent

Galbraith Lake

Narvavak (Large lake)

Narvavak is the original name used  instead of Galbraith which is used on contemporary maps.

Narvaq-means lake or pond.

Sagavanirktok River

Ivisaaq  (Red Ocher)

Ivisaaq is the original name used instead of the Sagavanirtok as noted in the contemporary maps.

Ivisaaq is the reddish mineral dye used in coloring of hunting implements.(Red Ocher)

Imnavaich

Itigunich

Qikiktat

Imnavaich (Large cliffs)

Itigunich (Smells like urine)

Qikiktat (Islands)

Note above names are the three prominent mountains generally north of the Toolik area.

Itkillik River

Itqiliq River (IndianRiver)

Contemporary maps show Itkillik  but spelled incorrectly

Oksrukuyik Creek

Uqsruqkuvik  (Seal oil cache)

Incorrectly spelled on contemporary maps.

Franklin Bluffs

Qakukturuich (Barrier bluffs)

Prominent feature adjacent to  Ivisaq River which is noted previously.

Ribdon  river

Sulukpaugaq (Grayling)

Original name Sulukpaugaq instead of Ribdon  River as noted in contemporary maps.

Kuparuk River

Kuukparuq (Large old river)

Kuuk-means river, adding the suffix “paruq” makes it large.

Alder

Nunangiak

Wood used as making hunting implements and tools.
Bark when shaved and dried used as pigment in caribou clothing.

Birch

Urgiiliq

Wood used in sled material,snowshoes,cooking vessels and hunting implements.
Bark is used in making baskets.

Blueberry

Lowbush cranberry

Blackberry

Cloudberry

Asiavik

Kimmingak

Paunnagaq

Akpik

Above berries are the most harvested by the Inupiaqs.

Licorice root, edible root

Masu

Found on well drained river beds.
Harvested in early spring or early fall, eaten fresh or cooked preferably with seal oil.
Sometimes found as stashed on bases of willows by voles in the wintertime.

Mountain Sorrel

Qunguliq

Found on the high alpine areas and used as edible plant.

Wild Spinach

Quagak

May be eaten freshly picked or boiled and eaten preferably with oil.
Found in wet marshy areas near ponds and creeks.

 Heather

Kukuun

Lit. used as  fire starter even during rainy periods.

Lichen

Niqaaq

Considered as food for caribou.
 

Pussy willow buds

Cotton wood buds

Cotton grass

Patlisraq

Used as fire tinder especially when using bow drill or flint striker.

Common house fly

Mosquito

Warble fly (larva)

Ant

Bumble Bee

Gnat

Beetle

Dragon fly

Dung fly

Nuviuvaq

Kiktugiaq

Kumaq (Louse)

Kiktusraliq

Igutchaq

Milgaitchiaq

Minuq/qauguliq

Niuligiq

Anaksiugayuk

Note: Warble fly larva found in spring caribou, was eaten and considered a delicacy.

Grayling

Burbot

Lake trout

Whitefish

Dolly Varden

Bullhead

 Whitefish

Least cisco

Fish egg

Fermented Fish

Dried fish

Sulukpaugaq

Titaliq

Kaluakpaq

Anaaliq

Angayukasraq (Old  fish)

Kanayuq

Qaaktaq

Saviunaq

Suvaq

Auruq (rottenfish)

Pipsii

Spring

Summer

 Autumn

Winter

Upinagasrak

Upinagaq

Ukiasraq

Ukiuk

Sun

Moon

Star

Stars

Siqiniq

Tatqiq

Uvlugiaq (singular)

Uvlugiat (plural)

Solar eclipse

Lunar eclipse

Sunrise

sunset

Northern lights

Meteorite

Pula

Mula

Uvluga

Nipiruq

Kiugiya

Uvlugiam Ananga

Note: Ananga means it’s excrement.

Early Morning

Noon

Afternoon (early)

Evening (is)

Late evening

Uvlatchiaq

Qitiqaga

Uunuksraga

Uunuka

Uunuaqga