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Things you must buy, places you must eat at or shop at!


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This is an ULU knife. It is a traditional Alaskan knife.

 

 

 

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Thanks for the visual. I can see where the shape of this knife would be useful in all sorts of situations throughout the kitchen. Now that I know what it looks like I will be on the lookout when in Alaska in August.

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Thanks for the visual. I can see where the shape of this knife would be useful in all sorts of situations throughout the kitchen. Now that I know what it looks like I will be on the lookout when in Alaska in August.

 

No problem! I am a visual person as well!

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If you are going to be in Anchorage on Saturday, check out their outside market downtown. We bought most of our souvenirs there before even sailing on our cruise. They were from local artists and craftsman and the prices were great. We also went to Alaska Wild Berry Products in Anchorage and picked up a few things there.

 

I second the outside market in Anchorage. They not only have some great souvenirs but the food is good too. I had some delicious fish and chips (halibut) on one of my trips. Just as good as the fish and chips I paid double for in a restaurant in Seward!

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I'm interested to know, where did you shop at?

 

I don't recall the street names but we walked into town and down some side streets. There were a few little authentic shops with beautiful items. The art was beautiful there too.

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Does anyone know what ULU stands for? Just curious

It doesn't stand for anything and shouldn't be in all caps - but the biggest local maker capitalizes their name (The ULU Factory) so many folks now seem to think it should be a contraction, U.L.U., standing for something: Un-named Lopping Utensil perhaps;-)

 

It actually translates to something like "Woman's knife" in English from Inuktituk and Inuvialuktun as it would be used for 'in home' tasks like hide scraping and general cutting rather than hunting or fighting. Other arctic first nations have different names for the same thing - and there are several different styles, breadth of blades, tightness of curvature etc. which are optimised for different tasks but all share a curved blade with a parallel handle above.

 

Used with a curved cutting board (buy a boxed set) they are very effective for fine chopping/mincing - all the double-bladed 'rocking herb knives' you see around were obviously ripped off from the concept - but for most folks it'll probably end up on a shelf as a conversation piece barring a real effort to learn how to maximise the utility of the shape. That said, if you lack strength/have arthritis you may find a knife in this style involves less strain to use than a traditional 'blade sticks out from the end of the handle' knife.

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It doesn't stand for anything and shouldn't be in all caps - but the biggest local maker capitalizes their name (The ULU Factory) so many folks now seem to think it should be a contraction, U.L.U., standing for something: Un-named Lopping Utensil perhaps;-)

 

It actually translates to something like "Woman's knife" in English from Inuktituk and Inuvialuktun as it would be used for 'in home' tasks like hide scraping and general cutting rather than hunting or fighting. Other arctic first nations have different names for the same thing - and there are several different styles, breadth of blades, tightness of curvature etc. which are optimised for different tasks but all share a curved blade with a parallel handle above.

 

Used with a curved cutting board (buy a boxed set) they are very effective for fine chopping/mincing - all the double-bladed 'rocking herb knives' you see around were obviously ripped off from the concept - but for most folks it'll probably end up on a shelf as a conversation piece barring a real effort to learn how to maximise the utility of the shape. That said, if you lack strength/have arthritis you may find a knife in this style involves less strain to use than a traditional 'blade sticks out from the end of the handle' knife.

 

Thank you for this info -- I love learning the back story. I got excited when everyone started talking about the knives, and then when I saw the picture, I was like, WOW that's crazy - will definitely have to make it it makes it into the checked bag for the flight home! Knowing the backstory, makes me that much more interested in looking for one. I know prices will vary, but what does these typically average?

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Thank you for this info -- I love learning the back story. I got excited when everyone started talking about the knives, and then when I saw the picture, I was like, WOW that's crazy - will definitely have to make it it makes it into the checked bag for the flight home! Knowing the backstory, makes me that much more interested in looking for one. I know prices will vary, but what does these typically average?

Prices vary wildly - there are imports as well as locally-made, and of course many stores add a tourist markup. Frankly for these items, unless you're shopping for a high end one for purely aesthetic reason and need to see the exact one you're going to buy, you're better off buying through Amazon! Almost certainly cheaper than the best pricing you'l find in port, no need to worry about them being confiscated as you reboard the ship (they'll be handed back at end of the cruise), no finding space for a chunky and heavy box in your luggage (the boxed sets with chopping boards get heavy), no need to worry about looking for Made in Alaska logos to ensure you don't get an import, and no need to waste time shopping that could be spent sightseeing!

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It doesn't stand for anything and shouldn't be in all caps - but the biggest local maker capitalizes their name (The ULU Factory) so many folks now seem to think it should be a contraction, U.L.U., standing for something: Un-named Lopping Utensil perhaps;-)

 

It actually translates to something like "Woman's knife" in English from Inuktituk and Inuvialuktun as it would be used for 'in home' tasks like hide scraping and general cutting rather than hunting or fighting. Other arctic first nations have different names for the same thing - and there are several different styles, breadth of blades, tightness of curvature etc. which are optimised for different tasks but all share a curved blade with a parallel handle above.

 

Used with a curved cutting board (buy a boxed set) they are very effective for fine chopping/mincing - all the double-bladed 'rocking herb knives' you see around were obviously ripped off from the concept - but for most folks it'll probably end up on a shelf as a conversation piece barring a real effort to learn how to maximise the utility of the shape. That said, if you lack strength/have arthritis you may find a knife in this style involves less strain to use than a traditional 'blade sticks out from the end of the handle' knife.

 

 

Thank you for the background information on the knife. That info will make it a very much appreciated souvenir with a pratical purpose to boot. I appreciate knowing that there is a curved cutting board that you can possibly buy as a gift set. This might be one souvenir that doesn't end up collecting dust on the back shelf. Thanks for the info

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  • 1 month later...

Thanks for starting this thread, I took some great notes. I'm also in the market for some good photos of Alaska and the wildlife. Can anyone recommend a photographer or studio in Ketchikan, Juneau or Skagway?

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I'm also in the group of people who hate buying souvenirs made in China. I've found the best place to get actual made in Alaska souvenirs is at the Native Hospital in Anchorage. They have a gift shop and it's where I do most my shopping for people who want things from the 49th state.

 

+1 on that. They also have some wonderful native crafts displayed in cabinets on the stairs of the hospital. Go there even if you do not plan to buy anything.

 

DON

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My favorite store was in Ketchikan on Creek Street: Fish Creek Company. It's a nicer store but they had some interesting things. My favorite item, I bought there. It's a puzzle made from thin plywood and the pieces are not like regular jigsaw puzzles - each piece is in the shape of things like a bear, eagle, cougar, man with rifle, etc. They had several different puzzles to pick from. I chose a bear puzzle. There aren't any straight edge pieces so it's kind of difficult starting out - I think it took me about 3 months of working on it off & on to finish. They are a little expensive (around $100) but it's unique. Here's an example:

 

Front

 

45e86dc8e855434b4f0f1e4d25cdee84.image.400x318.jpg

 

Back: (you can see the puzzle piece shapes)

 

wolf_sue_coccia_puzzle_01.jpg

 

Talk about difficult puzzles. I once had a puzzle called "Little Red Robin Hood's Hood". It was round and solid red - no art work at all. https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/springbok-500-pc-little-red-riding-472786140 Took us a long while to get it done.

 

DON

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