Creative Stories from the Imagination

True Stories from Experience

Poems

BIRD

STORIES

FROM

SCAMMON BAY

1985

Hello.

The general theme of this year's Upward Bound Program at Keggatmiut High School has been BIRDS. So as a consequence, it seemed a natural part of the program to look into bird stories as remembered and told by the elders of the village. To accomplish this we did taped interviews in Yupik then brought them back, transcribed and translated them, and finally edited and typed them for inclusion in the pages that follow. We have added original stories and poems by the students themselves and also the scripts of plays based on both the old and new stories and performed during Cultural Heritage Day, a special day held in November of the school year to celebrate the Yupik culture of the village. Illustrations were added last and, presto!, here you have it in front of you -

Of course, it wasn't as easy as it sounds either for students or for teacher. Students had to learn interview techniques that were appropriate for approaching the elders and they had to learn new Yupik words and expressions in order to ask the questions to the elders in the first place. Many of them had to learn better how to write in Yup'ik so they could transcribe the interviews. The teacher had to learn great patience. And we all had to use our imaginations in the most creative way possible.

And, you know, we did just that, and we hope you enjoy the product of our work.

Upward Bound Students

Frank Keim
Upward Bound Teacher
Scammon Bay, Alaska

Charlotte Alstrom	Tatiana Sergie
Cheryl Hunter	Rose Fitka
Maurice Turet	Valerie Nick
Jack George	Tassie Fitka

And their teacher Frank Keim

In doing this project, the Upward Bound Program in Keggatmiut High School here in Scammon Bay had one important central idea in mind, that is, to involve students both in their natural environment and in their village community through a project that would be of practical use to them.

In realizing this goal, our game plan included several objectives, among them:

1. learning about some of the plants that were and are edible and useful to the people of Scammon Bay;
2. communicating with Scammon Bay elders in Yupik about these plants to learn their uses, etc.;
3. in communicating with the elders, to gain practice with their Yupik language and also to learn some new words and names that were and are important to the people of Scammon Bay;
4. learning how to interview with and without tape recorders;
5. gaining experience in transcribing and translating from Yupik to English;
6. learning about plant taxonomies;
7. learning how to put this information together in a form that could also benefit others who may be curious;
8. providing a written product for people to reference in the future when this plant knowledge will again be imperative to have.

We hope those who read this product may benefit as much as we have from our hard work.

Upward Bound Students of Keggatmiut High School

Barbara Hunter
Laura Hunter
Clifford Kaganak
Joseph Strongheart
Bruno Kasayuli Jr.
Steven Walker
Johnny Ulak
and teacher: Frank Keim

Students gathering information for "Edible and Useful Plants" project

Upward Bound students doing field work for project up at Magayat Rocks

Knowledge Check

Atsaq Salmonberry, Cloudberry Rubus chamaemorus	Blaise and Cristene Tinker/Steven Walker
Puyuragaq Nagoonberry Rubus arcticus	Lizy Strongheart/Steven Walker
Cillkaq Fireweed (tall & dwarf) Epilobium (angustifolium and latifolium)	Agnes Aguchak/Steven Walker
Qipaliunguaq Beach Cinquefoil Potentilla pacifica	Mariann Sundown/F. Keim
Kuaggciq Arctic dock Rumex arctica	Alice Amukon/Steven Walker
Nasqupaguaq "Head plant" or Arrowleaved Sweet Coltsfoot Petasites sagittatus	Lizy Strongheart/Steven Walker
Caklluq Rosefoot Sedum rosea	Mariann Sundown/Byron Ulak
Anllaq Bur Reed Sparganium multipedunculatum	Mariann Sundown/Barb Hunter
Quunarliaraat Mountain Sorrel Oxalis alpina	Theresa Hunter/Barbara Hunter
Mertam neqait Lousewort Pedicularis lanata	Mariann Sundown/Barbara Hunter
Tayaruq Marestail Hippurus Vulgaris	Alice Amukon/Laura Hunter
Plugutaq Coltsfoot Petasites frigida	Mamie Ulak/Laura Hunter
Teptukuyuk Yarrow Achillea sibirica	Alice Amukon & Mike Joe Sr./Byron Ulak
Cayggluk Wormwood Artemisia Campestris	Mamie Ulak/Laura Hunter
Kumaurutet Sphagnum Moss Sphagnum magellanicum	Pete Ulak/Laura Hunter
Kapukaraq Pallas Buttercup Ranunculus Pallasii	Bruno Kasayuli Sr./Byron Ulak
Cingqulliktaaq Bunchberry Cornus Canadensis	Alice Amukon/Byron Ulak
Tarnaq Cow Parsnip Heracleum lanatum	Agnes Aguchak/Clifford Kaganak
Ikituq Wild Celery Angelica lucida	Agnes Aguchak/Clifford Kaganak
Ayuq Tundra tea Ledum decumbens	Mamie Ulak/Barbara Hunter
Bearberry Kavlak Arctostaphylos alpina	Liz Kasyuli/Bruno K.
Palukutaq Palukutaq Deer Mushroom Bolete Pluteus Cervinus Leccinum sp.	Lizzie Strongheart/Joseph Strongheart
Agautaq Twisted Stalk Streptopus amplexifolius	Lizzie Strongheart/Joseph Strongheart
Tanegerpak Blackberry or Curlewberry Empetrum nigrum	Agnes Aguchak/Cliff K.
Quguyuguaq Mastodon Flower Senecio congestus	Agnes Aguchak/Clifford Kaganak
Cetuguaq Spreading Wood Fern Dryopteris austriaca	Gregory Strongheart/Joseph Strongheart
Cayuruaq Sitka burnet Sanguisorba sitchensis	Alice Amukon/Barbara H.
Ukayiruaq Mellkuruaq Cottongrass Cottongrass Eriophorum angustifolium Eriophorum Scheuzeri	Mariann Sundown/Laura Hunter
Cupuruaq Birch Betula nana	Teddy Sundown/Bruno K.
Cukvvaguaq Alder Alnus tenufolia	Liz Kasayuli/Bruno K.
Tumuageliq Cranberry Vaccinium vitis	Elizabeth K./Bruno K.
Uqvvikaq Willow Salix pulchra	Dorothy Kasayuli/Bruno K.
Curaq Blueberry Vaccinium Uliginosum	Mamie Ulak/Byron Ulak
Uqvataaraq Spirea Spirea beauvardiana	Alice Amukon/Barbara Hunter
Anuktutliaraat Brook Saxifrage Saxifraga punctata	Mike Utteryuk/Byron Ulak