Yuungnaqpiallerput - The Way We Genuinely Live - Masterworks of Yup'ik Science and Survival

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Time for Drumming

Photo James H. Barker
Wearing a mask he made, John McIntyre (left) from Eek dances with Joe Chief, Jr. from Bethel. Joe's mask was made by Alexie Issac from Kasigluk.


Piciryarangqellruut waten uksillernun utertaqameng uksuarmi. Tamarmirtaqameng nunameggni, nanelngurtairutaqan, kalukaqutuut am kalukaqutullruut. Tua-i tamana pitekluku tua-i quyungqatuut, uksuillernek llu uterqaqluteng tua-i tuavet. Imkut unangkengateng, up'nerkamek ayagluku uksullran tuavet ngeliinun unangkengateng ilangarqurluki. Family t tua-i tamalkurmeng tua-i neqnek qasgimun nerevkariluteng.

They had a custom when they returned home to their winter villages in fall. When everyone had returned, they held a community feast. That was why people gathered and returned to their villages. They used some of the food they had harvested since spring up until winter. All the families would bring food to the qasgi to share with everyone.

--Frank Andrew, Kwigillingok

Yup'ik men and women worked hard to gather food and acquire things, not to own them but to give them away. The winter ceremonial season was a time of celebration and thanksgiving, in which community feasting and gift-giving played a central part.



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