Tundra Vegetables

My aunt picked these tundra vegetables called, “Kapuukaraat” in Yup’ik. They are found on mossy edges of tundra lakes and in ponds along the coast of the Kuskokwim. They are picked and cleaned in water. The vegetables are frozen and used in bird soup and stir fry caribou. While not eaten raw, they can also be used as a side dish with seal and fish. They provide a rich source of Vitamin C. We have many nutritious Native foods available in the Kuskokwim area. People along the coast have lived off the land and picked these good nutritious foods for many years. Most people stay busy gathering food from spring time until the fall.

I will be gone most of the summer and won’t be taking part in subsistence gathering and hunting. I am going to continue taking classes through distance education this summer. I will be back mid-August and should have plenty of time to take part in some subsistence gathering activities.

Have a great summer!

Bearded Seal

My cousin David shot a bearded seal yesterday when he went hunting with one of his cousins. His cousin shot one and took it home to his family. We call this type of seal "Maklaar". There are several types of bearded seals and most are generally larger than the one shown here.
In this picture his Mom and girlfriend are cutting up the seal. This time of the year many fathers and sons in the village hunt seals and freeze the meat in preparation for the winter. We have a lot of birds flying in the sky and the snow is starting to melt….signs of summer weather around the corner.