Yupik peoples
The Yupik peoples are Indigenous groups residing primarily in western and southwestern Alaska, as well as parts of Siberia. They are culturally related to the Chukchi, Inuit, and Inupiaq and are divided into three main subgroups: the Alutiiq, Central Alaskan Yup'ik, and Siberian Yupik. With a history spanning roughly three thousand years, they represent the largest Alaska Native group, with over 33,900 individuals reported in the U.S. as of 2021. Traditionally, Yupik communities lived a nomadic lifestyle, relying on hunting and fishing for sustenance, targeting species like walrus, seals, and whales. Their dwellings were typically tent-like structures made from sealskin, and they utilized various types of boats and sleds for transportation across their rugged environment.
Yupik religious beliefs are characterized by animism, with a strong emphasis on the spirits of nature, and shamans played a crucial role in spiritual practices. The Yupik have rich cultural traditions that include storytelling, artistic expression, and communal festivals, which they actively maintain to ensure cultural continuity. They also prioritize the preservation of their language and engage in contemporary initiatives, such as statewide spelling bees in Yupik. Notable figures of Yupik heritage have emerged in various fields, contributing to the representation of their culture, while also participating in climate change research, leveraging their traditional knowledge.
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Yupik peoples
The Yupik peoples are a group of Indigenous peoples from western and southwestern, and south central Alaska, as well as parts of Siberia. Of close cultural relation to the Chukchi, Inuit, and Inupiaq, the Yupik peoples are divided into three distinct subgroups. These include the Alutiiq people, the Central Alaskan Yup’ik people, and the Siberian Yupik people. With a long history that can be traced back about three thousand years, the Yupik people remain the largest Alaska Native group. According to official US Census figures from 2021, there were more than 33,900 Yupik people living in the United States, with the vast majority still residing in Alaska. The Siberian Yupik people, who originally lived along the entire Chukotka coast and now live mainly in a number of villages near the Bering Strait, have a total contemporary population that numbers about 900.
Background
Most of the Yupik peoples are part of a larger family of Indigenous peoples known as Alaska Natives. There are five major groupings of Alaska Natives, including Aleuts, Inupiat, Yupik (Yuit), Athabascans, and Southeast Coastal Indigenous (Tlingit and Haida) peoples. While these groupings do not reflect distinct tribal or political units, they are based on the cultural and linguistic similarities between different peoples who live in geographic regions of Alaska. In total, Alaskan Natives account for more than 20 percent of the state’s modern population.
The smallest Alaska Natives group, the Aleuts, made their home on the Aleutian Islands that extend out from the southwest corner of the Alaskan mainland. Traditionally, the Aleuts thrived thanks to their remarkable abilities as mariners. They hunted and fished in their Bering Sea surroundings to build a sustainable community in what was otherwise a particularly harsh environment. Archeological evidence suggests that Aleuts first settled on the Aleutian Islands more than 7,000 years ago. Since that time, they have remained the primary Alaskan Native group on the island chain.
The Inupiat established themselves along Alaska and Canada’s northern coastline, supporting themselves primarily through hunting and fishing. Inupiat hunters found great success harvesting whales with the use of harpoons that they threw from covered canoes called umiaks. They were also successful at hunting other animals like walrus, seals, and polar bears. The Inupiat were also skilled at foraging for berries and roots.
The Athabascans, a diverse group of peoples with similar languages who primarily live in the Alaskan and Canadian interior, had to overcome more difficult circumstances than any other Alaska Natives. Faced with harsh conditions and frequent episodes of famine, the Athabascans coped by becoming excellent hunters of large species like caribou and moose. They also excelled at fishing salmon and other types of river fish. The Athabascans made highly prized skin garments and furs as well. Over time, the Athabascans divided into a wide array of different cultures with distinct dialects.
The Southeastern Coastal branch of the Alaskan Natives includes such peoples as the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian. Living in the more hospitable environment of southeast Alaska, these groups developed thriving communities that produced numerous lasting cultural artifacts.
Overview
The Yupik are an Indigenous people who traditionally live in Alaska, St. Lawrence Island and the Diomede Islands in the Bering Sea and parts of Siberia. The larger Yupik community is divided into three main subgroups of people who live in different geographic regions. The Alutiiq people live on the Alaska Peninsula and in south central Alaska’s coastal and island areas. The Alutiiq are also closely related to the Aleut people. The Central Alaskan Yup’ik are found in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, the Kuskokwim River, and along the northern coast of Bristol Bay. The Siberian Yupik live in the Russian Far East and western Alaska’s St. Lawrence Island.
Yupik peoples first arrived at what would eventually become the American shores in western Alaska about three thousand years ago. After first settling on the coast, the Yupik began migrating up coastal waterways like the Yukon and Kuskokwim Rivers around 1400 Common Era. Ultimately, Yupik communities extended as far upriver as Paimiut on the Yukon and Crow Village on the Kuskokwim.
Surviving in the Alaskan wilderness was no easy task. Traditionally, the Yupik lived a nomadic lifestyle as hunting and fishing who followed the wildlife on which they depended for sustenance. The species they hunted the most included walrus, seals, and whales. Because they were nomads and did not originally have permanent homes, the Yupik people had to live in easily movable homes. Most were tent-like structures made of sealskin mats stretched over light wooden frames. Men and women spent most of their time in separate tents connected by a long hallway where everyone could cook and eat together. These tent-houses also include dug-out spaces that offered added protection from the harsh outside elements. Moving around from place to place also meant that the Yupik people had to be inventive in terms of transportation. They often used kayaks, baidarkas, and whaleboats to traverse waterways and sleds to cross the snow-covered landscape.
The cold Alaskan weather also required the Yupik people to make and wear heavy clothing made from sealskin and animal hides. Most people wore hooded parkas, tunic-like shirts, and loose-fitting pants, as well as thick woven grass socks and gloves, mittens, and boots made from sealskin.
The traditional religious beliefs of the Yupik people would best be described as a form of animism. Animism is the belief that spirits inhabit everything in nature. These spirits, which might be benevolent or harmful, could provide help or cause any of a variety of possible misfortunes. Spiritual leaders called shamans communicated with these spirits and practiced magic. The Yupik people viewed some animals as sacred and frequently performed elaborate rituals aimed at ensuring successful hunts or giving thanks for previous successful hunts.
The Yupik people developed many distinct cultural traditions over the years. Some of these traditions include storytelling, ceremonial feasts, and various forms of artistic expression. Modern Yupiks still frequently gather at festivals to practice their cultural traditions and ensure that they pass them down to future generations. Yupik people also work hard to preserve their language. Since 2012, Yupik people have participated in a state-wide spelling bee in the Yupik language in an effort to keep it spoken and relevant in the twenty-first century. Several notable people of Yupik heritage have also made great accomplishments. Mary Peltola is a US representative from Alaska's at-large congressional district, and Callan Chythlook-Sifsof is a US Olympic snowboarder. Yupik peoples are also playing a key role in the study of the effects of climate change, as they share their traditional knowledge of life in the Arctic with scientists.
Bibliography
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