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Yup'ik Raven This collection of student work is from Frank Keim's classes. He wants to share these works for others to use as an example of culturally-based curriculum and documentation. These documents have been OCR-scanned and are available for educational use only.


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The Bearded Seal and the Otter

Once there was this seal that dived into the water and it bumped into something. He came up to the surface to look around and while he was looking around he saw this otter grinning at him.

Finally the otter said, "Why don't you watch out for things when you dive? Maybe your eyebrows are too long?"

The bearded seal answered, "Well you must've put something there if they are, and anyway I say my eyebrows are okay."

"I didn't put anything there; your eyebrows need to be cut," the otter replied.

The bearded seal finally believed him and followed him to shore to get his eyebrows cut. The otter got two stones, and after putting one stone down, the bearded seal placed his eyebrows on top of it. Then the otter said, "When I put this other stone on top of it and sit on it you pull as hard as you can."

As he put the stone on top of the seal's eyebrows and sat on it, the bearded seal pulled and pulled and pulled until finally his eyebrows were cut off.

"It is so bright out!," the bearded seal exclaimed. The otter just stared at him and when the bearded seal noticed, he asked, "Why are you staring so much?"

The otter replied, "Your eyes are so small, I thought you had large eyes. I hope your vision doesn't get ruined."

So the otter started looking around for something to make his eyes bigger and when he came back he showed him two round see-through stones.

"Try putting these on," the otter said. And after the bearded seal put them on, he said,"Everything is so easy to see now. "Thank you!"

In repayment the bearded seal gave the otter some clams. The otter thanked him and was about to leave when the bearded seal told him to come to him if he ever needed food.

After the otter left the bearded seal looked around again. He now had large round eyes. And from that time on bearded seals have had big round eyes.

Naughty Norma

Maqllaq-llu Cenkaq-llu

Unagguq makllak angllullermini camun pukartuq. Maurluni kiarcartugtuk. Kiarcami tangertuk cenkamek. Cenkaq kuyurllualria. Camigguk canertuk, "Ciin ellpet kiagterpeknak egglegglagcit? Kavluten takssiaggengtut."

Makllam kiugga, "Kiagtetunga, ellpet cameng ellillrungatuten, kavlunka auirautenritut."

"Eggui cmak ellikssitua. Kavluten kepnaruit", cenkam kiugga.

Makllamgguq ukvvera. Cenkam essenamun tagguta, kepnaluki makllam kavlui. Mallrunek cimaggnek akvatuq cenkaq. Atauciq cimaq elligga cenkam, makllamllu kavluni kinganun elliluki.Cenkam qanruta, "Un ellikumku cimak akumiciqua kinganun, ellpit nuqesskina."

Elliqerarlukugguk akumuq cimam kinganun. Nuqcimakerarluni makllam kavluni keput.

"Matumilli tangkitessvva!", makllak kanertuq.

Cenkaq tangvvaggpassiyallrani makllam apta, "Ciin tangvassiaggcia?"

Cenkam angra, "Iiggkan tamakuk mikssiyaggpa, iirpauyuklluten piyaqellruenga. Takvvegcikten-llam."

"Qaillemi piciqssia?", makllam apta.

Cenkag camek iyaurtik. Iyaurumaqeggualuni atam makllaq ullagga, manillukullu tangernaqellranek akagenqe1lranek cemanek.

"Ukuk ateqegki", cenkam kanruta. Ateqegagluki makllam qanertuq, "Caknek-lli matum tangernaqvva. Kuyana!" Makllam cikigluku-llu apakussutanek. Cenkaq kuyakeggarluku ayaggtuk. Makllam-llu ayaggpilggan kanrulluku qiggakan taisskelluku.

Cenkaq ayakeggatluni makllaq kiagtuk. Makallam iingak iirparilluik akagenkellranek. Tui elluguq mallat iingit tuaten ayuqllerilluit.

Naughty Norma

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