Agnagituaq
@ethelapatkotak.bsky.social
First fully bilingual Inupiaq lawyer to argue two cases back-to-back at Alaska Supreme Court. Retired...but not from fishing, cooking, reading, baking, walking, messing with my digital camera, nor from life with a Maltipoo.
Tulips from my cousin's garden. Spring season on the Western Kenai Peninsula takes forever to kick in. I'm glad that Bev sends images of her babies as they develop. Copyright is held by Beverly Patkotak Grinage.
April 3, 2025 at 8:42 AM
Tulips from my cousin's garden. Spring season on the Western Kenai Peninsula takes forever to kick in. I'm glad that Bev sends images of her babies as they develop. Copyright is held by Beverly Patkotak Grinage.
My family is accustomed to this view. I'm no longer running out of the door to court or client. Spinal degeneration issues. I'm now retired.
April 1, 2025 at 10:13 PM
My family is accustomed to this view. I'm no longer running out of the door to court or client. Spinal degeneration issues. I'm now retired.
Oh, gosh. So young. I'm mic'd up so was on some TV or radio show. Asked my best friend for approximate year because her mom took a photo nearest this look.
April 1, 2025 at 10:09 PM
Oh, gosh. So young. I'm mic'd up so was on some TV or radio show. Asked my best friend for approximate year because her mom took a photo nearest this look.
Aapa--m'grampa--was qunNGilaaq. Reindeer herder, as were a number of our kin. My cousin Lloyd [in Canada] retired a few years ago from managing a herd near Inuvik.
I was thrilled to get this reference.
I was thrilled to get this reference.
March 19, 2025 at 6:03 AM
Aapa--m'grampa--was qunNGilaaq. Reindeer herder, as were a number of our kin. My cousin Lloyd [in Canada] retired a few years ago from managing a herd near Inuvik.
I was thrilled to get this reference.
I was thrilled to get this reference.
I need to find a cassette tape recorder to transcribe tapes that I made with my Aaka Mattie Papigluk Bodfish (middle). Her elder sister's life was fascinating but I never thought to record anything because I was living our normal life. Aana (left) was their first cousin. Tuquttaq, Aanavak, Eva.
March 19, 2025 at 5:53 AM
I need to find a cassette tape recorder to transcribe tapes that I made with my Aaka Mattie Papigluk Bodfish (middle). Her elder sister's life was fascinating but I never thought to record anything because I was living our normal life. Aana (left) was their first cousin. Tuquttaq, Aanavak, Eva.
Inde. My li'l girl. Skipper, my racing husky, died of old age while I was in college. Reginaldi, huge collie mix, retired to a farm in Oregon. Black Lily, GSD/husky, adopted for my kid, died of cancer. Buddy, Cavalier King Charles, died of heart failure. Chip, GSD/husky. Inde's "big brothers."
March 19, 2025 at 5:26 AM
Inde. My li'l girl. Skipper, my racing husky, died of old age while I was in college. Reginaldi, huge collie mix, retired to a farm in Oregon. Black Lily, GSD/husky, adopted for my kid, died of cancer. Buddy, Cavalier King Charles, died of heart failure. Chip, GSD/husky. Inde's "big brothers."
I wanted Japanese ramen AND Vietnamese udon noodles. I rehydrated dried spinach leaves, tomato flakes, and added celery to beef stock diluted with water. I considered adding an egg but that would have rather mucked up my noodles. Perfect for a Western Kenai Peninsula chilly-ish kind of day.
March 17, 2025 at 12:40 AM
I wanted Japanese ramen AND Vietnamese udon noodles. I rehydrated dried spinach leaves, tomato flakes, and added celery to beef stock diluted with water. I considered adding an egg but that would have rather mucked up my noodles. Perfect for a Western Kenai Peninsula chilly-ish kind of day.
Senses are heightened. My friend's smiles are so authentic, though, I know she's okay.
March 12, 2025 at 9:15 AM
Senses are heightened. My friend's smiles are so authentic, though, I know she's okay.
Yay! It worked. I had trouble with the citation but it really does look like her work. Now to explore her poetry....
March 12, 2025 at 5:53 AM
Yay! It worked. I had trouble with the citation but it really does look like her work. Now to explore her poetry....
Dad, years ago on the Wainwright lagoon. Smelt fishing. Our annual winter feasting on those sweet fish. A taste shared by family and friends state-wide. On a really good day, you can catch over 100. On a slow one, even 10 is great. The season is probably over now. Our winters are that weird.
March 9, 2025 at 2:27 PM
Dad, years ago on the Wainwright lagoon. Smelt fishing. Our annual winter feasting on those sweet fish. A taste shared by family and friends state-wide. On a really good day, you can catch over 100. On a slow one, even 10 is great. The season is probably over now. Our winters are that weird.
My Ataata. It's "grand-uncle" in our dialect but we had two gramps and a mom who prepared hot dishes for both. We were always asking, "Which one????" when Mom directed us to bring a dish to Aapa.
He sewed that wolverine parka. He was a wonderful craftsman, artist and ivory carver.
He sewed that wolverine parka. He was a wonderful craftsman, artist and ivory carver.
March 9, 2025 at 2:11 PM
My Ataata. It's "grand-uncle" in our dialect but we had two gramps and a mom who prepared hot dishes for both. We were always asking, "Which one????" when Mom directed us to bring a dish to Aapa.
He sewed that wolverine parka. He was a wonderful craftsman, artist and ivory carver.
He sewed that wolverine parka. He was a wonderful craftsman, artist and ivory carver.
Diana Grace was the NIU law school registrar. My grandmother died (aged 101 years) during my first year. Diana sat with me, in a remarkable display of empathy. I had begged to go home. The deans wouldn't let me. Here, we unrolled my diploma because I wanted her to be with me.
March 9, 2025 at 1:50 PM
Diana Grace was the NIU law school registrar. My grandmother died (aged 101 years) during my first year. Diana sat with me, in a remarkable display of empathy. I had begged to go home. The deans wouldn't let me. Here, we unrolled my diploma because I wanted her to be with me.
My daughter and I were at a function at the Northern Illinois University College of Law. I earned my J.D. there. I read Contracts, sitting on a gym floor, as my highschool kid played basketball. Watched only when she got up to play. She's 5'9.5" and...I'm not.
March 9, 2025 at 1:42 PM
My daughter and I were at a function at the Northern Illinois University College of Law. I earned my J.D. there. I read Contracts, sitting on a gym floor, as my highschool kid played basketball. Watched only when she got up to play. She's 5'9.5" and...I'm not.
This is the day I took my LL.M. in American Indian & Indigenous Law from the University of Tulsa. (Their system took the grainy photo.) There was a horrific winter storm so I couldn't go get my daughter from northern Illinois for graduation.
March 9, 2025 at 1:36 PM
This is the day I took my LL.M. in American Indian & Indigenous Law from the University of Tulsa. (Their system took the grainy photo.) There was a horrific winter storm so I couldn't go get my daughter from northern Illinois for graduation.
One of my all-time favorite people, my cousin (just 10 days older) and I just attained age 70.
We have stood together through so many family deaths now. Lifelong confidantes. Our Dads were brothers, and we're as close as they were.
We have stood together through so many family deaths now. Lifelong confidantes. Our Dads were brothers, and we're as close as they were.
March 9, 2025 at 1:31 PM
One of my all-time favorite people, my cousin (just 10 days older) and I just attained age 70.
We have stood together through so many family deaths now. Lifelong confidantes. Our Dads were brothers, and we're as close as they were.
We have stood together through so many family deaths now. Lifelong confidantes. Our Dads were brothers, and we're as close as they were.
I lived in Kasilof for four years. Loved it. Ready access to the river mouth for dipnetting red salmon, and long stretches of beach. Eagles everywhere. My German Shepherd/husky and Cavalier King Charles spaniel hiked with me.
March 9, 2025 at 1:21 PM
I lived in Kasilof for four years. Loved it. Ready access to the river mouth for dipnetting red salmon, and long stretches of beach. Eagles everywhere. My German Shepherd/husky and Cavalier King Charles spaniel hiked with me.
Niece Emily, moi, and my late l
kid sister Julie. I'm an appellate attorney. She did double majors in corporate computer security and another computer thing. I was always impressed by how easily she and my brother grasped electronics and that whole language.
kid sister Julie. I'm an appellate attorney. She did double majors in corporate computer security and another computer thing. I was always impressed by how easily she and my brother grasped electronics and that whole language.
January 14, 2025 at 3:59 PM
Niece Emily, moi, and my late l
kid sister Julie. I'm an appellate attorney. She did double majors in corporate computer security and another computer thing. I was always impressed by how easily she and my brother grasped electronics and that whole language.
kid sister Julie. I'm an appellate attorney. She did double majors in corporate computer security and another computer thing. I was always impressed by how easily she and my brother grasped electronics and that whole language.
Mom, probably on Easter Sunday in 1960? She was totally, totally brilliant. The boy is my brother Hugh. He grew up to fly helicopters and med-evac jets. Now he runs Olgoonik Corp.
January 14, 2025 at 3:50 PM
Mom, probably on Easter Sunday in 1960? She was totally, totally brilliant. The boy is my brother Hugh. He grew up to fly helicopters and med-evac jets. Now he runs Olgoonik Corp.
Inupiaq life is all about family. And our pets. The girls are my cousins, niece and sister-in-law. Chip was my GSD/husky...my huge baby. And Buddy was my Cavalier King Charles.
January 14, 2025 at 3:43 PM
Inupiaq life is all about family. And our pets. The girls are my cousins, niece and sister-in-law. Chip was my GSD/husky...my huge baby. And Buddy was my Cavalier King Charles.
My anaana (gramma) was reared in Canada. She died in Wainwright, Alaska. Our names are identical. These are my cousins Ruby, Herman and James. They're in Canada, and I'm--unfortunately--not.
January 14, 2025 at 3:26 PM
My anaana (gramma) was reared in Canada. She died in Wainwright, Alaska. Our names are identical. These are my cousins Ruby, Herman and James. They're in Canada, and I'm--unfortunately--not.
Photos, courtesy of who we called Nigliq. Richard K. Nelson, who generously gave Wainwrighters his treasure trove of photographs. This is where I grew up. And these guys were all family.
January 14, 2025 at 3:14 PM
Photos, courtesy of who we called Nigliq. Richard K. Nelson, who generously gave Wainwrighters his treasure trove of photographs. This is where I grew up. And these guys were all family.