i '(

l' ~ I \' F H 5- I T Y 0 F A L .-'>

CHUGACH PLACENAME GAZETTEER

The following gazetteer does two things . First , i t cross references

Nat ive place names i n Frederi ca de La guna's Chugach Preh i story (1 956) with

those reported by Kaj Birket -Smith in Chugach Eskimos (1953 ) , and , second , it

attenpts to provide an acceptable spe lling for Nat ive names ori ginally r eported

by de Laguna in phonet ic transcri pt ion . It is not surpris ing tha t place names

foun d i n each monogra ph should be compli mentary , since , as we now knm\I , de

Laguna and Birket-Smith shared ethnographic responsibili ti es equal ly during

the field work of 1933 . The two works share approximatel y 43 names in common .

De Laguna , howeve r, reports 112 names , while Birket-Smith mentions 77, and a

number of names , therefore , are unique to either monograph.

Jeff Leer of the Alas ka Native Language Center took on the t ask of ren -

deri ng these names in contemporary Chugach Al utiiq orthography . He wou l d have

preferred re-eliciti ng each of the names from Chugach Alutiiq speakers, but

since t his has not been possib le , he had to rely on a number of clues for his

final transcriptions, including the gloss mentioned by de Laguna or Birket-

Smith and the recurrence of "roots" within names of like derivation, as well

as the phonetic spel lings themselves . Leer was not always successful i n de -

termining a probable transcription into Chugach Alutiiq , and in those cases

where questions remained either in mean ing or phonetic transliteration of t he

name , he so indicated with a question mark.

Some interest ing observations emerge from this preliminary l i ngu i stic

analysis of the place names . For example , i t is be l i eved that the name for

Gravina Bay, Isha, may actually be an Eyak word , i~xah , meaning "pot." Another

name , Trhatl ag (Mummy Island), is rendered as Etgallag ("always? shallow"),

which is ve_i::r interest ing, si nce this name more cl ose ly approximates Khtag_aluk ,

the Russian name for Hi nchi nbrook Island . If we can fo l l ow through wi th this

-i -

! • ... i i

chain of suppositions convincingly , this determination would be of first rate

historical importance, since it wou ld clarify exactly who it was that the

Russians f irst encountered during their early expedit i ons to Prince Will iam

Sound .

A Note on the Orqan ization of the Names

Rather than al phabetically, I have arranged the phonet ic transliterations

with reference to where they appear in Chugach Prehistory. De Laguna's trans-

literation is followed by her gl oss or her brief description. Cross references

to Birket-Smith are indicated in the parentheses following his name. Leer has

found it us eful to compare various names with examples found elsewhere in the

list . He indicates th is reference by the notation 11 cf p. 28 .10, 11 which refe rs

to the tenth name appearing o~ page 28 of de Laguna .

de Laouna, page 12

J l. nutiy mi ut "Nuchek Peopl e" Birket-Smith (20): Nutyirmiut Leer : Nuucirmiut

J 2. nutv'k "

1. 3 . i!aqJ i

./ 4. nunal(q

... 5. pal~· uacaq

"Nuchek" Leer: Nuuciq , "Nuchek"

(former name of Nuchek)

Site l. (oldest villa ge Birket -Smith (145) : Nunatlaq in the Sound) Leer : Nunalleq, "old village"

(channel from Port Etches to Constantine Harbor)

Leer : Pai nguc saa q, "sma 11 entrance"

V 6. nuj1.r;\ · uacaq "Little Nuchek" Site 2.

Leer: Nuuci nguasaaq , "l i tt 1 e Nuchek "

de Lagnua , page 14

J l . uqc ilL~ ua caq Site 3. f rom uqc )q--"winter" or "year"

Leer: Uksillenguasaaq, "sma ll one-1-.1ho-wintered" (cf p. 30 . 6)

qil ·a·~·al ·L k Site 4 . (v i llage or Birket -Smith (139 , 144) : Qilangalik . n .! fort on refuge island Leer : Qi langalek? [Jeff not certain

Q ' l~ci-.1~ at Johnstone Point about this one; a similar word , [~) l ( · ~o..·~· {le) _ I~,~~ Q.~l~l(~gaq~~~te~~~

xi·ydliaq Site 5. "Shining Birket -Smith- -(1 3~: Qireliaq; Bluffs" (146 , 160) : Qirhliaq ; (93 , 113) :

~ • I ' Kh i kh 1 i aq (\( \{>....'\; Leer : Rrirliaq?, "gleaming, glistening" J 4 . arr ilvlq Site 6 . (village in

Anderson Bay) Leer : Ang'ill eq? , "where there

used t o be grouse"

de Laguna , page 15

l. txa · l aymi ut "Sha 11 ow Water · Peop le"

·~~j~( (~~:i.J-

c1~~~yY..~) 2 .

lcz.~5 o...l \) (.\,_

3. nunak t.fq Site 7 . "B ig Village "

4. aq}atul i Site 8 . "~Jindy Place"

~~ ~ . A1 tt~~· - 1 -

Birket-Smith (20) : Trhatlarmiut Leer: Etgall ermiut? Etgallarmi ut? ,

"peop le of Etga llaq? or Etgall eq?"

Birket -Smith (20) : Trhatlaq , (Mummy Island) or (135) : Trhet la, (village near Taukhtyuik)

Leer : Etgall aq? or Etgal l eq? , "a l ways? shallow"

Birket-Smith (152) : Nunaqtyuq Leer: Nunakca k, "b ig land , town"

Lee r: Aqllatuli

•• 2

de Laguna, page 15 (cont.)

5. napa l a0eaq (largest Pinnacle Rock i n Boswe 11 Bay)

Leer: Napaliryaq ? (possibly reference to having trees on it )

6. napalateaq~aq .(2nd larges t Pinnacle 1 1 •. ·fl , . I. Rock i9 ~_oswe l l Bay) rv~~r1 OJl-.~ ~ ~

7. qal>uavi~at Site 9. (camping place

Leer: Napa 1 i ryakcak?

~~ in Boswel l Bay)

8. tu·~Ji~alL k Site 10. (cave in Boswell Bay)

q, N t>-fo.l..r 1'~~ Leer : Tuullegliq? (based ~n"v~r)d

for ' 1 oon ' ) T lA..,._( l 9a._{ eAL(,__~ , ~~ ~~~

de Laguna, page 17

1. ti kr'xta0uaq " .

-2 . qucu ~r'l i

TC ?

Site 11. (summer campsite on Straw-berry Point)

Site 12. "High Place"

Leer : Cikurtaruaq , "k i nd of icy"

Leer : Quswa rli(q)?, "elevated place "

3 . v'1:r, l,f\uaq Site 13. "Like a Leer : Englunguaq/Ung l unguaq, orJ Cave" "small barabara" or "den??? 11 ;

a~t l (r'\uaauaq "small nest" Eng l unguaruaq/ ef~~ ? ~~ Ung l unguaruaq, "like a sma1l

4. palu0vlk Site 14. Palugvi k Birket-Smith (134) : Palugvik, "Mourning Place"

p~~i'k_ Leer : Pa l uwik , "place of ""' - starvation (sadness)"

5. ~ul u0Ju:r Site 15 . "Camping uaca~ l Place"

Cv..l~I ~~s~ tauxtv\. k Site 16. "Cock le

·" Place(?)" 6.

r-r • l )tJ/ . l Q..M..~ t.. t- I , ~ c

T~~~~k. de La guna, page 19

1. qv a~ VL k Site 17. "lfoere Someone Cries"

2.

3.

Ql'~d

.. ·.- 3

de Laguna, page 19 (cont.)

4.

5.

nun·aq Site 19. (camp or village on an island

~' ) off Windy Bay) N W'/l.._IJ.- ~/

Leer: Nagaa'ulek, "one that has a standing rock island~

Birket-Smith (154): Nunaq Leer: Nunarraq , "hardly a vi 11 age?"

or Nunaq , "village?" (cf p. 21.2)

ictam uqciJa ~ite 20. (village Birket -Smith (158): Aikhartalik or site on SW end of Leer : I gtem Uks i 11 a, "the den 's

aixaxtalc t Mummy Island) wintered-one" or Aiggarta(a)let ,

. A-\ ~5 QA".(_ ~l el(._ ( s ~) ( ~ u·. ~:nd~~ ~ •v-t ) de Laguna, page 20

1.

2.

3.

Site 24. (name for tiny grassy islet)

' r...O w "- Ct,.._)

Leer: Um' i 1 nguq, "one \llhi ch has no fog"

Site 25. (name of lit- Leer: probably Wiiwalleq?, tle island off S Point "old verteb ra"

W. , \ l of Mummy ls land\ l l 0 ~i ~/ ( ~1> ()../' -0"\;•.M.0 na~Ln a ~ ite 26 . (name for

large island off Mummy Leer : Nangen'a, "its thumb"

~ ~ ~ lIJ]}£t&~J) 4. c( xilL~ aiuaq Site 27 . (Grass Is l and) )

1 C "Q.\\'f vr ~~ ( kM ~ ~ ~ l.fJ.-J; 5. txalam Site 28 . "Behind Leer : Etgallam (or Etgallem)

qidl·ua Mummy Island (Flats?)" Kelua, "behind Etgallaq" \~

...

·. · ,.

')

de Laguna, page 22

2.

3.

u~umeqtul i · or

u ~r'm\~ ~tul i

atia~ ·miut ... . or

i c · a~miut

1..s )·°""'"~ ·, ~

atiat

(village to which Raven brought fire?)

u.1~1°1l~ "Port Gravina People"

4

Birket-Smith (164): Urumiertuli Leer : ll'!"'lll}'arttil i 01 Uqumyagtuli ,

"lots of quartz/flint"??

Birket-Smith (20): Atyarmiut or Isharmiut

Leer: Aci armiut? (cf foll ow ing) Is'armiut? , "people of waking-up"?? (cf p. 28.10)

Site 33 . "Underneath" Bi rket-Smith ( 20 , 137) : Atyat

't ,A ~oX] 1 4.

1 (_, ~c.,\ y-~~v...M~~ Leer: Aciat, "underneath them"

Site 34 . "Cache" Leer: Nuuwa(q), "hiding place" (cf p . 28.4)

de Laguna, page 24

1. kayak)1... k Site 35. "Kayak Leer: Qayalleq?, "old kayak" or Qayarll uk?, "bad kayak" n. t Place" ~')~ll\'l

7 2. mata~kan~ k or

tani i am · nu ~uL. k

'1 , 3. iqalv'q

1 4 . ca l a · l r'

or tumY~i a lyq

5. atiat "

7. i "() am~n

J_ ~ fY\ IAV... V\ 8 . tati Jat miut

~ 9 . tati Jaq

10. mam ·taq

Site 36 . "Sunshine Place"

t'1~~~ l ll't

(is land named after man buried there)

(unverified village in Gravina Bay)

Leer : Macangqanaq? ,

possibly Tanyarram Nuguik

Leer: Iqalleq, "one that got dirty" or Iqalluk, "fish"

Leer: Salalleq?, "old clam" or Sala'alleq , "old cannery" Temngialek, "one that has geese" (cf Birket-Smith, p. 125)

(site near Hell's Hole) Leer: See p. 22.3

(old settlement on la-goon near He 11 's Hole)

(site at Humphry's Hole)

"Tatitl ek People"

(Tatitlek)

"Smokehouse" (forme r name of Tatitlek

Leer : Igmuun , "throat"

Birket-Smith (21): Tatitlarmiut Leer: Tatiillaarmiut , "people of

Tatiilaaq"

Birket-Smith (21): Tati tlaq , Windy Pl ace"

Leer : Tatiillaaq, (has to do with wind condition)

Leer: Mamtaaq , "smokehouse"

"

,. ·, .

de Laguna, page 25

1 .

'TC.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

aimqiaq (village in Irish Cove)

Ah' ~ti) A-t. axtuqackcu - Site 37. "Anybody

· miq Could TqlJ~h Me" . ~~. ~ n: . ..;,.. \~.J /'{,, 0 ,4~ fu_~'j, '\ CV'YLAAA·~.\~

il·u·ti Site 38 . (village in

J:-l"'-~~ ~l~ B~) ~ ka~ita)tul/q Site 39. (villag:1n

· or ~ Boulder Bay) nanu)~na l../q ~\ rv..~\ W'y

q~ktatua (former sett l ement on or island in Boulder Bay)

tuluxtal../q "Island" or "Camping ,.. tuJWf"b....ll~ce" palu·taq Site 40. (old village

() ".u_.r at Ellamar) r~~-"'~

kLni ·n Site 41. (Busby Beach) r ~ft>~L~)

K~•~ ~~ a---8. k:>'Joq i 1 a ( sma 11 is 1 and bet ween

or Busby and Bli gh kaf)iam islands)

.--qi~l~ ' ll \\~ (~.) f-' ~~ ( 1J~ fl..< l ~t1 \

de Laguna, page 2, .. r" ~ ~~d 'J ~ l . k.)~noqJ i Site 42. "Where They

Used to Fish for Winter"

2 . ka~i ~l~ mi ut? "Kiniklik People"

~rll~W\\v.:t"

Birket-Smith {137) : Ai mqaiq Leer : Ai mq i i q

5

Birket-Smith (137) : Arhtuqashkshumiq Leer : Aqtuqaasqesuumiq, "wanting

to tel-¥ someone to touch one lightly"

Leer: Il utii ? , "in t erior of it"

Leer: Kangiraurluq1 Nanwarna 1 ek, "one that has a 1 agoon''

Leer : Qikert aruaq?, somet hing like an island; Culurtalleq, "used to be a beached (ani mal)" (cf p. 17.5)

Birket-Smith (21) : Pal utaq Leer: Pal utaq?

Birket-Smith (21) : Kunin Leer: Keni 'in??, "instrument

for pointing at t hings "

Leer: probably Kinguqllia, "t he one fo 11 owing it "? Kangiyam Kelua, "upland from the bay "

Bi rket-Smith (21): Kangirtl urmiut Leer: Ka ngirl lugmiut?, "people

of Kang i r 11 u k" (cf p . 2 7 . 9 )

qa~ Birket-Smith (148): f°L-. 15Z~M'CN""t~~ ~ ~>

Qareretlua 3.

4. Sit'e 44. (Palutat Cave)

5. ttkt a~ ulk Site 45. (site in ~ or· Long Bay) t t.ktatua

" ~lL~A--rw-\ l' k, cr~)

Leer: Ciktarwik, "place for dunking heads/bending over"? or Ciktaarwik , "place for trying to beat "? Ciktaruaq or Ciktaaruaq

., . -·

de Laguna, page 27 (cont.)

6. makeli (small vill age in Unakwik In let )

Birket-Smith (140): Makeli Leer : Maqili? (havi ng to do

with heat or steambath)

6

, Unakwik Inlet Leer: Un'a kuik, "that river 14'> ~ v.A k..

" ' :

, , .

de Laguna , page 28 (cont . )

11. naxquaJaq Site 53. (si te on island at mouth of

'"IL ~.._~~an Bay)

12. aje~qul \..k "Good Weather Pl ace" (summer settl ement in

-re~ Jackpot Bay)

de Laguna, page 30

1. napala0eaxq(n Site 54. (site on small island off mouth of

2.

? Jackpot Bay) ' i ·YJ·i m at . i a "

"Under the Mounta in " (Chenega Village)

'1 C-. ~'3) t' w... (\~Go.... 3. ql..·a~ v L k Site 56. (a summer

-rc.. ~~ ~~k.., camp near Chenega) 4. aki·~qaq (su111T1er camp on east .,,,,.- A . side of Chenega Is 1 and)

......-~ ~"'i~ 5. Judyun (summer camp on the

west side of Chenega -rc-(z)$1Ay>"""' Island) 6. uqci )t,~uacaq Site 57. "The Vi 11 age

Where They Used to Ltlt.~i ll~lA.S~e Winter"

7. ~ay0u· 1L k "Silver Sal mon Place" (surrmer villa ge nea r mou th of Chenega Bay)

"f (, (p..o...iLA,J..,..k (N~~) de Laguna, paae 31

1. v

,,,.

, .. '

' . de Laguna, page 31 (cont .)

4. cuqlu~miut 11 Montague Island People"

5. cuql../q (Montague Isl and)

.6. mata ri- kanat Site 63. "Suns hi ne J JI

TC, M"-t.~t.~1,~ , f'\lU-~ de Laguna , page 32

1. ~atuanaq Site 64 . ·or "T l, /l~ J.-...,...

nanu)~anaq LLA-rlAJ~"-'"""1~ • •

'

" ' 9

Birket-Smith: names on Hinch i nbrook Island (cont . )

Qathukhtuli

Qangai 11 i k

p. 161; village near Boswe ll Bay

p . 145

Napalarianguashaq p. 130; Little Porpoise Rock

Iram-Qadlir-uarvia

Atunguaq

Adlium-Shturnera

p. 134; Devil's vJhistle (rock in Double or Anderson Bay)

p . 134; hill above Nuchek

p. 134; mountain above Constantine Harbor entrance

Birket-Smith : names on Haw kins Island

Ira 1 i k

,.,. c~ Nugaq

es io ~l-51~ Paungnaruat

IC~ Laqlaruat

p. 144; lagoon near Makarka Point

p. 144; North Island

Cl\ tMtlA.IA.~~ p. 134; brown bears?

p. 134; "brown bears" two stones at Paungnaruat

qi txu · k p. 134 ; "frogs?" two stones north of

~ f\ ~tjv.."'/ lA. \.Jz__Paungnaruat Qagiat- p. 134; Seal Cr.

Ingriat Mounta in; so. of Laqlaruat

Shukluruni- p. 144; beach above linguq Makarka Point

5u~t'\-~ l ~ ~

Leer: possibly Qategyugtuli , "having lots of ptarmigan"

Leer: Napaliryang uasaaq? (cf de Laguna 15 . 5 and 15 . 6) -nguasaaq, "small"

Leer: Iiraam Qal 'iruan1ia, "Devil's kind-of-yelling place"

Leer: Atunguaq?, "littl e song?"

Leer : ? Sturnera, (stretching of legs )

Leer: Iiralek? , "having devils?" or Iraliq?, "moonshine"

Leer: Nug 'aq?, "something threaded through"

Leer : Paugna ruat or Paungnaruat, "something like the bears?"

Leer : Laqlaruat, "something like brown bea rs"

Leer: Qetgayuuk?, "two frogs"

Leer : Qaigyat Ingriat , "Seals' Mountain"

Leer : possibly Sukllurniilnguq, "not a good p 1 ace for Sukll uq (Montague Island)" (cf p. 31 . 5)

Arhuartulik p. 144; head of Cordova Leer: Arwartuliq, "one that has Bay a 1 ot of v1ha 1 es"

A-rwM"~ ~\c:tl ~ ~ ~Lvo. ~~

,.. 4 10 l t

Birket-Smith: miscellaneous names

Aguitlkuraq

Nashquling-uaruvik

Nigaruvik

Tc.7 '

Tingmialik

It ~ Ulukaq

-rc...1 ~ YurhtyuT~-

o{L

Y~r~ Kalukat

Kalugat

Kidlujun

K~~,· Tyaniraq

~~ Qutyuaq

p . 145; "Impossible to Cross" (rocky headland on mainland)

p .. 128; "Headache Mountain"; north side of Valdez Narrows

Leer: Agqi i 11 quruaq , "something like . . . " Agwiillquq , "i mpossib le to go over"

Leer : Nasqulngunarwik?, "place that gives one a headache"

p. 39; "Snaring Place"; Leer: Negarwik, "snaring place" bare rock off Port Gravina

p. 125; . smokehouse site on beach in Gravina Bay

p. 156; "Looking Like a Tongue"; village on Knight Island

p . 118 , 129; dangerous place near ~henega

(~~-~ p. 21; former village of Tyanirmi ut

p. 156; small islands near Chenega

p. 163; village near Chenega

p. 21; "Woodl ess Place" or "Across"; a point east of Chenega

p. 155; Middleton Island

Leer : Tengmialek , "one that has geese"(=Temngilek: cf p. 24.4)

Leer: Ulukaq (from Kod. 'ulu')

Leer : Ka 1 uka t, "wooden bowls"? "parties"?

Leer : (same as above?)

Leer : possibly Keluiyun?, 1\·1ay to go behind (village or natural obstacle)"

Leer : Caniqaq, "side" (cf p. 28.9)

Leer: (candlefish?)