Description

The Yup ik people of southwestern Alaska were some of the last Arctic peoples to come into contact with non-Natives, and as a result, Yup ik language and many traditions remain vital into the twenty-first century. Wise Words of the Yup ik People documents their qanruyutet (adages, words of wisdom, and oral instructions) regarding the proper living of life. Throughout history, these distinctive wise words have guided the relations between men and women, parents and children, siblings and cousins, fellow villagers, visitors, strangers, and even with non-Natives. Yup ik elders have chosen to share these wise words during Calista Elders Council gatherings and conventions since 1998 for instrumental reasons-because of their continued relevance and power to change lives. The Calista Elders Council, which represents some thirteen hundred Yup ik elders, recently spearheaded efforts at cultural revitalization through gatherings with younger community members. In describing the content of traditional instruction as well as its central motivation- We talk to you because we love you -elders not only educate Yup ik young people but also open a window into their view of the world for all of us. Wise Words of the Yup ik People will serve as a valuable resource for the Yup ik people and those who wish to learn more about their lives and values. Ann Fienup-Riordan is an independent scholar who has lived, worked, and taught in Alaska since 1973. Her many books include Hunting Tradition in a Changing World: Yup ik Lives in Alaska Today and Yup ik Elders at the Ethnologisches Museum Berlin: Fieldwork Turned on Its Head. Alice Rearden is a Yup ik speaker and leading translator for the Calista Elders Council.