Berries
Achiaq
Iñupiaq Name: Achiaq phonetic spelling: a-chi-ek plural: achiat translation / other information none known English Name: Blackberry, Crowberry Scientific Name Empetrumn nigrum Source: L.
Achiaq is widely collected in Golovnin. It is found on the tundra near Golovnin. Achiaq grows close to the ground and has needle-like leaves similar to a spruce tree. The large black berries grow to about the size of large green peas. The leaves stay green all winter and if you dig under the snow you can find the berries even in winter. The achiaq berries are very important to the people of Golovin. In years that the salmonberries, aqpik and blueberries, chugha are poor, the blackberries usually do well. One plant can produce a surprisingly large amount of berries and they are very easy to pick. You can get a handful of berries in just one swipe at the plants. The other berries don't grow that thick. The berries are used in dessert dishes, like pies and jellies and with milk and sugar. More traditional desserts are akutuq, Eskimo ice cream and berries and greens. The greens, such as aluighak or achaaqluk are cooked and stored in barrels with seal oil early in the summer. The greens sour and when the berries are ripe, they are picked, and added to the barrels. The barrels usually sit until winter when treats like this are especially important to brighten dark, cold days. Sugar is added when they are eaten. My grandma said when she was a girl sugar was rare, but now, she couldn't imagine eating her berries without it.