The Nacaq, or beaded headdress, is the head regalia Alutiiq women wear during ceremonies and gatherings.  These elaborate headdresses traditionally were worn by Alutiiq women of high status.  The beads, or pinguat, are either made from ivory, bone, baleen, wood, shell, or glass in their full size version, as shown in the photo at right. 

We bead our miniature  headdress earrings with petite 2mm glass beads onto sterling silver pins.  They are available in a wide variety of color combinations.  Custom color combination requests are welcome.

The photo at right shows Kodiak Alutiiq educators and Elders after their presentation at the World’s Indigenous Peoples Conference on Education in New Zealand, wearing their full size beaded headdresses. 

(Left to right) Alisha Drabek, Florence Pestrikoff, Julie Knagin, Mary Haakanson, Peggy Azuyak, Susan Malutin, and April Laktonen Counceller.