NOTE: Issues range from 1996–2006. Contact information in earlier issues could be outdated. For current information, please contact the Alaska Native Knowledge Network, 907-474-1902.
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Year Two Initiatives Bring Exciting New Challenges by Dorothy M. Larson:Informative reports from each of the MOA partners demonstrate that many things are happening in each of the five cultural regions-much more than we would have dreamed of a year ago when we began the project. It has been a truly remarkable year with all the activities, the progress, the positive involvement of the elders, communities, MOA partners and others who are interested in becoming involved. With the Alaska Rural Challenge up and running, we would like to take this opportunity to introduce Harold Napolean, coordinator for the Reclaiming Tribal Histories initiative. Harold will be working in the Aleut region with Moses Dirks, Aleut regional coordinator. Harold is no stranger to rural Alaska, hailing from Hooper Bay. Welcome aboard, Harold! Time was spent in regional working groups to plan and strategize for the Year Two initiatives. The regional coordinators had a tremendous amount of work to accomplish and did an excellent job in coordinating the initiatives within their regions, establishing Elders Councils, working with a diverse group within their own regions and working with one another collaboratively as a team. The consortium meeting, attended by the staff and MOA partners of the project, is extremely important in the implementation of the Year Two initiatives, to get a reading on the status of Year One initiatives and how to transition from one initiative to another. We applaud the elders for their involvement, patience and wisdom as we see how indigenous knowledge and practices can be appropriate in this age of technology and information. We are looking forward to continuing our quest to make that knowledge an integral part of the teaching and learning for rural students-especially in math and science. Guest speakers included Sharon John, science teacher at the Kanangaq Program at West High School in Anchorage, and Mark John, a graduate student at the University of Alaska Anchorage who spoke on how he is able to use his skills as a traditional hunter, gatherer and fisherman in and around the city. Prior to the consortium meeting, many of the elders and partners were available to participate in the working groups which were formed to discuss topics such as Indigenous Curriculum Frameworks, Cultural and Intellectual Property Rights, Native Educators Network and the Regional Cultural Atlases. The group feels an urgency to discuss and develop a policy statement which will guide our work as it relates to the cultural and intellectual property rights on the information, stories and other sensitive areas that can impact the work that we are involved in. Year Two will begin on January 1, 1997 so that the two projects, the Alaska RSI and the Alaska Rural Challenge, are synchronized on a calendar year and the initiatives will be concurrent. This next year the staff will be working a twelve-month year rather than the ten-month year. On behalf of the co-directors, I would like to express thanks to all the consortium members for their active participation. It is their involvement that will insure the success of the Alaska RSI and Alaska Rural Challenge. Thanks to our dedicated staff: regional coordinators Amy Van Hatten, Barbara Liu, Moses Dirks, Elmer Jackson and Andy Hope and Gail Pass, Shirley Moto and Harold Napolean in Anchorage. We also extend our thanks and appreciation to Paula Elmes, Lolly Carpluk, Linda M. Evans, Dixie Dayo and Jeannie O'Malley-Keyes in Fairbanks. A special thanks to the many elders involved with the Alaska RSI projects across the state. Without this team of hardworking, professional individuals, we would not be able to continue to keep up the pace and to accomplish the work outlined in the initiatives. We were recently informed by Dr. Gerald Gipp, NSF Program Officer, that the funding for Year Two initiatives has been approved. We look forward to continuing and establishing a new partnership for 1997. | |
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Young Navigators Explore South Pole by Joshua Lewis:Through special arrangements with the National Science Foundation, excitement built a strong momentum. As a North Star School teacher, I received a call from Antarctica at 1:00 A.M., November 25th informing me of the 48-hour timeline. Strategy was designed and implemented while students quickly took up the challenge to discover all aspects of life and types of research conducted at the Southern Pole. Diving headfirst into the Internet was seconded only to massive research through traditional means of articles, documentaries, books and encyclopedias. E-mail and phone calls flew across satellites as preparations continued. The Peterson fourth and fifth grade crews joined in the expedition through the efforts of teacher Ron Gibbs. One father reported that his son, Robert Rounsaville, had talked of nothing else since the Inter-Polar Conference had been announced. As Robert's second grade teacher, I remembered Robert had expressed dreams of one day discovering a new life form when he grew up. While scientists unwound descriptive stories of giant 170 lb cod so new no name has yet to be given, Robert was hard pressed not to climb into the speakerphone. I explained that the expedition via conference call was a long process come to fruition through the efforts of Earl Ramsey, a scientist currently conducting research at McMurdo Station. Ramsey, a lifelong Anchorage resident, has been working in both polar regions for the last six years. On his brief returns to Alaska, Ramsey has always made time to lecture to my students providing vivid images of research through stories and slide shows. In October, Ramsey visited the aggressive navigators in Kodiak. The teleconference was one step in furthering the ongoing relationship. Student questions to the team of scientists covered every aspect from animal life and vegetation to loneliness and isolation. The youngsters were surprised to learn how fragile the fresh water system is. Scientists explained they are consumed with the process of making fresh water at all times. Students were enchanted with the image of standing nose to nose with a huge penguin and also expressed concern about the ozone layer issues pertaining to global warming. In a followup e-mail, the McMurdo team stated they were very impressed by the caliber of inquiry by such young researchers. The one-hour teleconference stretched to nearly two, and as Ramsey stated, could easily have been three. As the questions and answers continued to fly, the sense of community and ownership was built across the phone line. At McMurdo, the scientists being interviewed were joined one-by-one by other research team members. The lead NSF scientist, Dave Bresnahan, sat quietly listening as the room at McMurdo filled to capacity. The North Star classroom, stuffed with 60 intrepid explorers frantically attempting to capture the moment with extensive notes, diagrams, sketches, videography, photography and maps were joined by reporters, parents and teachers silently slipping into the room to catch a few moments. Tension was high until students felt assured everyone would have their moment to ask a personal question. The most recent and last communication from McMurdo station, Ross Island, Antarctica was placed by the head of communications. Students were informed Ramsey would no longer be in direct contact with them. He had begun his extensive traverse across Antarctica to continue research on ice core samples. The samples unlock such secrets as oxygen levels pertaining to air quality thousands of years ago. As Earl begins his traverse, so continues the story as the young navigators follow in his footsteps. Students Robert Rounsaville and Joseph Carvalho of North Star School in Kodiak discover the world through school without walls. | |
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Youth Empowerment: Traditional Values & Contemporary Leadership by Cathy Rexford:The First Annual Youth Leadership Conference. We lift up a new generation of leaders who are grounded in our Iñupiaq values. During the three-day event, high school students from across the North Slope discovered that the key to success in leadership is Iñupiaqatigiigñiq (Iñupiaq values). As we focus on cultural identity in leadership, we raise the status of our Native way of life and further revive traditional values in contemporary Iñupiaq leadership. The connection between positive self esteem, cultural respect and leadership was stressed in the conference theme, "Empowering Our Youth Through Positive Leadership." The message was strong throughout the conference: "Know who you are, respect yourself, know where you come from, respect and remember the Iñupiaq people you serve. Be strong and proud of your place in our communities." Elders, experienced community leaders, along with young up-and-coming leaders shared their knowledge and gave encouragement to the students. The combination of panel presentations and student action oriented work sessions gave the students the knowledge they need to make a difference and a forum to contribute to the health of their schools and communities. The youth raised their voices, and what we heard from these young people was a new generation of Iñupiaq leaders who will look with hope to the future while learning from the past. These students worked long and hard hours for three days. Leaving the conference, students were better able to understand their important roles in school and in their communities, they learned valuable lessons from our Barrow Elders and they had a level of excitement and confidence in themselves that we hope they carry with them for their lifetimes. Student participant Desiree Kaveolook of Kaktovik writes: While I participated in the First Annual 2002 Leadership Conference, I learned many values a person must have to be a good leader. One of the senior guest speakers, Kenneth Toovak, said in order to be a leader, we have to get up early in the morning to plan for the day. That way the people would get more work done, and they would feel better about themselves. I also learned that the cultural values are important to an Iñupiaq leader. They connect us to our ancestors and land. Commitment, confidence and communication are also important values to have for being a leader. I think that a leader who does not have commitment would not be able to hold a community together. I also don't think someone could be a leader without confidence. A person could not be a leader without communication, because he or she would not know what the people feel or want. This conference taught us many things. I am looking forward to next year's conference and hope that it is as successful as this one. Day One featured community panels: . "Qualities of a Good Leader" with Elders Martha Aiken, Kenneth Toovak and Lloyd Ahvakana. . "Qualities and Values of Sound Leadership" with community leaders Jacob Adams, Margaret Opie and Audrey Saganna. . "Overcoming Obstacles in Leadership" with Dennis Packer, Bobbi Quintavell and Jaylene Wheeler. . Students also watched a film "Capturing Spirit: An Inuit Journey", a film which focuses on how to make positive choices to live a healthy life. Day Two featured: . "Leadership Shadow" experience. One student was paired with one community leader on the job to learn and witness the skills needed to be a successful leader on the North Slope. . General session meetings to discuss their experiences. . Students also worked on revisions to the districts own "Student Rights and Responsibilities" section of the Student-Parent Handbook. Day Three featured more community leader panels: . "How to use Media to Effectuate Change" with Rachel Edwardson. . "Making a Difference Through Teaching" with Innuraq Edwardson. . "How the Board Makes School Policy" with Rick Luthi and Susan Hope. . "How the North Slope Borough Assembly Adopts Ordinances" with Molly Pederson and Bertha Panigeo. . "Serving on the NSB Assembly or School Board" with Mike Aamodt and Tina Wolgemuth. . The students wrapped up the conference with an examination of the following issues and developed strategies for initiating positive change: * Drugs and alcohol * Violence and suicide * Community in school * Jobs and teaching "I learned that if you're trying to become a leader, don't give up at what you are doing! Do your best at it!" -Donald Taleak For more conference information please contact Cathy Rexford at: Cathy.Rexford@nsbsd.org. Editor's note: Cathy Rexford wsa crowned Miss World Eskimo Indian Olympics (WEIO) in July. Congratulations Cathy! | |
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Youth Panel Workshop at 2003 Native Educators Conference:On February 3, 2003 a workshop entitled Youth Perspectives on Education sparked the interest and enthusiasm of Elders and educators of all ages. A small group from the Future Alaska Native Educator Network presented ideas, concerns and solutions on Native education issues. These young college students are Ava Vent, Crystal Swetzof, Quentin Simeon and Mariah Sakeagak. In response to the requests of many conference participants, here are the youth comments and collective ideas for action. Presented by Ava Vent Hello my name is Ava Vent and I am a Koyukon Athabascan from Huslia. My parents are Warner and Alberta Vent. My grandparents are Robert and Mary Vent of Huslia, and Joseph and Celia Beetus of Hughes. In the fall of 1999 I graduated from Mt. Edgecumbe High school in Sitka, Alaska and then moved to Phoenix, Arizona to attend Grand Canyon University. In the spring of 2001 I transferred to Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado for one semester. Then I finally decided that attending UAF would better help me in becoming a successful elementary teacher in Alaska's diverse society. This is my junior year in college. I will graduate with my bachelor of arts degree in the spring of 2005 and then I plan to further my studies with a master's degree in education. There are many different ideas on what can be done to improve the success rates in the education of Alaska Native students. Over the last two years I have heard so many excellent ideas on how to better educate the students in both rural and urban areas of Alaska. Some of those alternatives are that parents need to take part in their children's education. Teachers need to come up with exciting new ways to combine the class curriculum with our cultural values. We all need to come together and be positive role models for our younger generation. We need to lower our village and urban substance abuse problems so that the Alaska Native dropout rate as well as the suicide rate will go down. Most importantly teachers, parents, tutors and school employees should get to know the students inside the class as well as outside. First of all, Alaska Native students' success relies heavily on the home environment. Parental interaction is very crucial in the development of a child's moral and traditional values. Parents need to show love and support for their child all the way until they graduate with their degree. Parents need to spend more time helping their children with their homework and appreciating their accomplishments as well as helping them fix their mistakes. Parents need to find an effective way of teaching their children to be responsible early in a child's life. Something as easy as helping them make cookies or letting them do simple tasks on their own can help them learn to be responsible. Another idea to improve success rates of Alaska Native students is for teachers to find effective ways to correlate the class curriculum with traditional values so that the students can find more ways to relate to and better understand their schoolwork. Moreover, there are many curriculums already in our schools that involve traditional cultural values. By listening to my mother, grandparents and my Aunt Catherine Attla, I've heard hundreds of old stories about our ancestors and how it used to be in the villages long ago. My grandpa Joe often tells stories of when he was younger, and a lot of them ended with a certain moral point which effects the choices people make. These sorts of stories later effect children's moral values all through adulthood. Other ways to include cultural activities in the curriculum that I can think of include: making traditional fish traps, building sleds or snow shoes, making birch baskets, sewing with beads and moose hide, picking berries, ice fishing, camping and many other cultural activities. A negative factor that affects Alaska Native students is alcohol and substance abuse. Alcohol and substance abuse is very high in Alaska, and we need to come together and try to end this problem by coming up with alternatives. As long as the alcoholism rate among Alaska Natives is high, the dropout and suicide rates will also increase. I have lost many friends and family to alcohol and suicide and this motivates me to try to find ways to give the Native youth alternatives other than alcohol and drugs. Most importantly we, as students, teachers and community members, need to get to know each other. I went to elementary and middle school in Huslia until the eighth grade. Therefore, I can think of some ways to bring a community together in order to gain students trust and respect. If you plan to teach or are teaching in a village with people you don't know, then get to know them. Participate in fun activities with the students during your free time. For example you can go fishing, sledding, check snares or traps, go for a snowmachine trip or even go on a picnic. By doing these activities and getting to know the students as well as the people of the community, the students will feel comfortable talking to you and you can gain their trust and respect. Moreover, the teacher will feel like less of an outcast and feel comfortable with the people of the community. There are teachers in the past who have gained my respect and helped me understand my schoolwork to the fullest. These teachers include Velma Schaffer from Allakaket, Gertie Esmailka of Huslia and Sharon Strick from Ruby. Helpful educators at Mt. Edgecumbe High School included my algebra teacher, Gary Jarvill, and the school counselor, Bob Love. Velma Schaffer used to bring some of my friends and me out for a snowmachine ride to check her rabbit snares. We used to stand on the back of her Yukon dog sled and see how long we could drag and then pull ourselves back up. She taught us how to set up rabbit snares and how often to check on them. Gertie Esmailka used to work so hard with our class when we practiced for Christmas plays. She also used to bring us out on lots of field trips for schoolwork. We used to go out and pick cranberries for cranberry-orange bread. We made the bread for the parents when they came in to pick up our mid-term grades. Sharon Strick brought out my artistic side by showing me how to make different but interesting arts and crafts-for example she showed us how to make natural paper. She also taught us how to make beads with Fimo clay that we cooked in the oven. Gary Jarvill had a very amusing personality that helped us understand algebra in a fun way. Mr. Bob Love was a big help with my future plans after high school. All these teachers had something in common, which was their involvement in our daily lives as well as in our education. I stated just a few of the unlimited solutions that we can practice in order to help our Native students succeed in Alaska's changing economy and society. The government also has a big impact on the education of our Native students. Politics and power have a heavy influence on the education of Alaska Native students. When it comes right down to it, the education of Alaska Native youth depends on the government who has the power to decide how much funding should be spent on Alaska's education system. Therefore, the government has the resources which are crucial in pulling together Alaska's education system. I like to think education is like knowledge, it only gets stronger and more powerful as it grows over time. Think about it, we have come so far in developing our education system since the early 1930s and 40s. Back then students were attending school in the village church, if they even had one. For example in Hughes, which is located along the Koyukuk River, my mother remembers that the classes were in a local man's home up until the missionaries built a church. These students and teachers could not even understand each other. Moreover, they all had to share a class, in which some students were older siblings of one another. I think about how difficult and frustrating it must have been for these teachers and their students. They must have been strongly motivated because those students are now adults who speak fluent English as well as their own heritage language. This is thanks to their motivation and our growing education system. A few of the aspects that helped our educational system so far include bilingual programs, cross-cultural programs and immersion programs. Most importantly, everyone helps our education system by simply knowing that we all have cultural differences and that we are trying to find a middle ground with each other. This is a crucial first step to helping education develop successfully for the Alaska Native youth. Education is a very timely topic in which everyone needs to be a part in order to ensure that the younger generations of Alaska will be successful. We need to leave this conference knowing that we can help Alaska's Native students succeed in preschool, kindergarten, grade school, high school and college. Some of the ideas I have touched upon to help Alaska Native students succeed are: pay attention to your children's education as well as their lives; teachers need to accommodate their curriculum in a way that the students can easily learn and understand and finally, all school staff, students and the community need to build trust, respect and comfort with one another. Ana Basee' and have a wonderful evening! Presented by Mariah Sakeagak: The Importance of Native Role Models for Students My experience at Barrow High School: * Teachers and instructors were mostly non-Native except for the bilingual teachers. * Students need to take notice that they, too, can get a degree in teaching if they set there mind and heart to it! I have always wanted to be a teacher ever since I was just a young child, and to now realize the importance of having Native educators makes me want to work even harder to complete my degree. To have little children come to you and tell you that "they want to be like you and go to college and be a teacher" always warms my heart. I have mentors on the North Slope who are in fact bilingual teachers; they have shared with me the importance of getting an education so I can go home to Barrow one day and be a mentor for other Native students. My experience with college/higher education: Often students who have graduated from a rural area are not familiar with what is outside of their community, mostly because of the outrageous prices on airfare. When they do get out of their community to attend college I think its important to have someone, perhaps a Native educator to share with them the survival skills beforehand. I say Native because I know from my experience to have someone familiar nearby to share their ideas and experiences made it more comfortable for me. Many rural students haven't lived elsewhere so they have a rural perspective; to have someone there who has been there, like myself, would help them understand what the rest of the world is like. When a non-Native shares with you what they experienced, their perspective on life is often different because they have grown up in a city or Outside, and they haven't experienced what it was like to grow up in a village. For me entering college, I was very shy and I did not usually ask questions about anything even though I was confused. It wasn't until last semester that I started opening my mind and my mouth! I was tired of not sharing my ideas, because usually they were good ideas. Mostly I was shy because I was the only Native in class, but this is not stopping me anymore. From here on out I am going to voice my opinion. If you have something to say, don't be shy like I was. Let people know what you think. With this I know I will be able to complete my degree, GO HOME, and be a role model for others. I will be one of the Native educators who encourages other students to go out and want to be teachers! And if not be a teacher, be something, because as long as you set your mind to it and work hard, you can achieve anything! Presented by Quentin Simeon The foundation for all stable relationships is based on trust and the truth. In order to educate our children, we must teach them the truth. However, in order to reach our children we must first be trusted by them. And to get our children to trust the teachers, the teachers must be trusted by the community. The approach is threefold. The first concerns the method of teaching. We must apply the knowledge to our students, connecting them with the information and the world around them. Make them feel as though they have a voice and a story worthy of being told. In other words, teach from the world they come from, not just the world of the Europeans. However, the Western or European world is not going to disappear, so we must implement a training course designed to educate our people about the differences and similarities of and between the Western culture and ours. The second aspect that relates to the first is what tools should we use to teach our children or what books are we going to teach them from? Should we write our history from our own perspective or settle for the Western documentation? I prefer the former. But if we choose to use Western books, I suggest that we at least screen them for certain biases. The final portion to an approach is the teachers and their relationship with the community. I would prefer to have Native teachers everywhere, but that is unlikely, so we must find a way to acculturate the teachers to our communities, as well as accept them as members of our families. Make them feel welcome, not like a stranger, then we will keep our children out of danger. With trust, we can accomplish a lot. It doesn't really matter if we are Native or not. The children are important-after all that's all we got. Once we, the educators, earn their trust our children will eagerly get on the bus. Plan of Action After the presentations, some collective brainstorming and small group discussions yielded great ideas. Everyone in the workshop participated. Listed below are some of the proposed actions: * Highlight successful programs such as immersion schools across the state and use them as role models. * Allow communities to influence curriculum. * Have schools recognize and incorporate cultural values. * Use student panels such as this as a component for teacher inservices. * Role models in our communities need to present in the classrooms. * Role models in each region need to be identified and interviewed by the students. * It doesn't take much to encourage young people if they are able to see for themselves first hand the accomplishments their people have made. This could give them a boost in furthering their education. * Community leaders past and present should encourage youth to become future leaders and role models. * Create booklets of Native mentors from throughout the past 50 years so children see the accomplishments people have made AND USE THEM IN OUR SCHOOLS! * Write letters to state and national legislators to call their attention to the problems No Child Left Behind is creating for our schools. * Publish ideas from this workshop in Sharing Our Pathways! | |
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Youth Survivor's Camp by Kimberly Carlo, Native Village of Fort Yukon:We try to hold an annual youth conference and have been successful in this for the past three years. Last summer we were working with the Council of Athabascan Tribal Governments (CATG) for a fish-counting project. The youth were employed by the project; they also built a fish wheel! All youth are welcome to go to the camp and most do. Youth under the age of eight have to be accompanied by a parent, but eight years and up are welcome to stay at the camp as long as they want. For summer projects, they check the fish net and wheel and cut and dry the fish. They also learn how to live out in the woods and off the land. We plan to have several projects this summer and employ one youth to be a youth mentor to teach their peers and younger youth how to survive in the woods. | |
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Yup'ik Immersion: A Student Perspective by Danielle Dizon:The Yup'ik Immersion program began here in Bethel two years ago. The planning started nearly eight to nine years before the program began. The plans started with parents, community members and teachers who were interested in offering something more than what the regular program offered which was 30 minutes a day in Yup'ik for elementary students and 50 minutes a day optional for high school students. Greg Anelon, Mary Ann Lomack and Barbara Liu at the recent ANREC meeting in Sitka. Last summer, I attended a World Indigenous Peoples Conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico. A workshop I attended was "The Evolvement of Maori Education in a Predominantly White School." The presenter was Mihi Roberts, principal for the Forest Lake School in Hamilton, New Zealand. It took them 14 years of planning to reach long-term development plan for Forest Lake School which now offers enrichment, partial immersion and total immersion in the Maori language and culture. Their total immersion program now owns their own property, personnel and curriculum. The community helped renovate a building that they now use. The personnel are all Maori speaking from their principal, teachers, janitor, cook and resource people. Their resource people work right in the school developing their teaching curriculum. The philosophy of their school is based on Te Wheke Waiora, which embodies total well-being. For the past eight years attending all three Bethel schools, I have taken Yup'ik classes taught by our full-speaking Yup'ik teachers 30-50 minutes per class day. The basic words I learned in Yup'ik are Waqaa, Camai, Cangacit, Assirtua and Piuraa. I was taught these same words every single year. Besides these, I have learned numbers up to 10 and basic commands such as stand-up and sit-down. My brother who attends kindergarten at the Yup'ik Immersion school since August of 1996 knows more Yup'ik now then I've learned in school the past eight years. He continues to learn our Yup'ik language. I think the Yup'ik Immersion program is working and is doing a great job, so far. I also think the school needs to have 100% Yup'ik speaking faculty like principals, teachers, janitors, cooks, etc; more hands-on curriculum like going and exploring our land, maybe going on a ice-fishing field trip for the older ones, go and sight-see our land animals and birds such as the ptarmigan in Bethel. By doing that we would be doing more hands-on things instead of just seeing it on paper. It took the Yup'ik Immersion program almost a decade to get going in Bethel. It has been a positive change for Bethel's young students. I think it may take a decade to make our program 100% Yup'ik but if we put our heads together and start planning toward it, it could happen. | |
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Yup'ik Region by Barbara "Mak" Liu:Stephanie Hoag facilitated a unit building workshop in Bethel, October 14-15 for the Yup'ik/Cup'ik region. Teachers, a curriculum specialist and elders came together from the following school districts: Yupiit, Lower Kuskokwim (LKSD), Lower Yukon (LYSD), St. Mary's and Southwest Region (SWRSD). I observed teachers from different sites working on unit topics in fisheries, plants, camping and weather. Elders came from Akiachak, Toksook Bay, Hooper Bay and Manokotak to work with teams. Unit team members will be meeting again after the holidays with Stephanie Hoag and Peggy Cowan. The regional consortium held this fall following the curriculum workshop was also attended by school district MOA partners from Yupiit, Kashunamiut, LKSD, LYSD, St. Marys, and SWRSD. Elder participants were Olinka George, Joshua Phillip, Paul John, Martina John, Neva Rivers and Henry Alakayak. Recently, a talking circle workshop was held at the St. Mary's Conference Center, facilitated by John Pingayak. Four elders-Joe Tuluk, Helen Friday and Julia Cholok from Chevak and Nancy C. Morgan from Aniak-participated with teachers from the following school districts: LYSD, St. Mary's, Kashunamiut and Kuspuk. One activity I hope to actively participate in locally is the Alaska Onward To Excellence process being initiated under Lower Kuskokwim School District. I traveled to Juneau to attend the Axe Handle Academy and saw demonstrations of the Southeast Cultural Atlas project. I look forward to the AKRSI staff meeting in January 1998. As we move into new initiatives the next three years, Y/Cup'ik student and elder participation will be more evident in schools through academies and projects. Wishing everyone a safe and eventful year. Tua-ingunrituq | |
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Yup'ik Region by Barbara "Mak" Liu:In other AKRSI related events, Sean Topkok and Scott Christian visited Kasigluk February 9-12. While there they helped the Akula students create web pages. In the fall, curriculum unit building began with area teachers and a few curriculum specialists at a workshop session with Stephanie Hoag, Scott Christian and Theresa John in Bethel. A followup session was held in Anchorage, February 13 and 14 with Peggy Cowan and other statewide unit-building teams. Sophie Kassayuli from Yupiit School District is working on a plant unit with the help of resources from her community using local plants that grow in the summer months. Natalia Luehman is from the Yup'ik community of St. Mary's and her unit-building topic is on weather. Much credit is given to the teachers and school personnel that are passing on culturally-appropriate lessons to the multitude of students in various grade levels and classes. As more gets done, parents and Elders' gratitude will multiply. Yup'ik/Cup'ik Elders are valuable resources in building oral language skills and content. I recently had the privilege of presenting Y/Cup'ik stories in a 90-minute session at the Bilingual Multicultural Education Equity Conference with Hooper Bay/Chevak Elder, Louise Tall. The session was well attended by many Yup'ik and Cup'ik speaking teachers. It is enlightening to know of the support we have in our region for stories that can be incorporated in lessons. Louise is in her mid-eighties born at a time when there was no calendars with numbers. She grew up in Qissuunaq (Chevak) area and moved to Naparyaaq (Hooper Bay) when she first married. She told three stories at the conference. Tuqutarayuli tells about sibling rivalry and how a poor unwanted girlis saved by a crab person (yungnguruulluku). Ciuliaqatuum Pania Neqnguarluku is about a man asking for a tiny fish from First Man's daughter at the headwaters of the Kuskokwim or Yukon, then a shortened version of Tekciugglugaat, and how this Sparrow family moves from place to place. As a small prelude, I read the story Quarruuk which is about two old women who were fooled by a needlefish. For a time-filler (giving Louise a short break between her stories) Zach Parks, student at Nunapitchuk High School, entertained, via video tape, with a short story called Kaviaq, Lagiq-llu which tells how Fox was truly embarrassed by Goose. Plans are underway for statewide MOA partners to meet the first week of April in St. Marys, Alaska. The dates for the meeting are April 5-7, 1998. One other activity that is being tentatively planned with Calista's Elder Council coordinator, Mark John, is an Elders and Youth Conference tentatively scheduled in September of 1998 in Kasigluk. Agenda for the spring consortium will be sent to all AKRSI/ARC MOA partners. The Fall conference agenda will be available to regional AKRSI/ARC MOA partners also. Tuai- ngunricugnarquq! Students at Akula work on their computer skills. Barbara Liu, Yup'ik Regional Coordinator, looks on. | |
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Yup'ik Region by Barbara Liu:The Yup'ik/Cup'ik regional initiatives in 1997 are Culturally-Aligned Curriculum Adaptation and Language/Cultural Immersion Camps. We will be working with * Lower Kuskokwim School District (LKSD), * Kuskokwim Campus (KUC), * Yupiit School District, * Kashunamiut School District, * Lower Yukon School District (LYSD), * Saint Mary's School District, * Bristol Bay Campus (BBC), * Southwest Region School District (SWSD) and * Lake and Peninsula Borough School District. The KYUK/ARCS MOA involves developing a documentary showing some of these schools. Maa-i caarkat matumi allrakumi elitnaurutet yivriumaciqut. Elitnaurvigni calilriit tungqurluki caliciqua maani Kusquqvagmek LKSD-iit, Yupiit SD-aat, KUC-iiq. Cali-llu Qissunamiut, Kuigpagmek LYSD-iit, St. Mary's SD-aaq, Iilgayam nuniinek BBC-iiq, SWSD-aat-llu, Nanvarpagmek-llu Lake and Peninsula SD-aat. KYUK-iiq-llu tangercetaaliciquq elitnaurvignek elluarrluteng taqutellernek elinaurutkanek. Thank you Esther Ilutsik, Cecelia Martz, Charles Kashatok and Greg Anelon, Jr. for seeing through the first year of what seemed like a monumental project to me.Through your help, we can focus on specific activities this year. New representatives from other districts will be on board and I look forward to working with all of you under this project. Quyana-llu Arnaq, Tacuk, Ac'urun, Greg-aq-llu ikayurlua caarkat caucillemteki augumi allrakumi pellullermi. Maa-i allanek elitnaurvignek ilaluta piqcaarciqukut, piinanemteni elitaqucaurciiqukut caarkaput-llu patagmek taqsugngariluki. Recently, with the help of others, I met with invited MOA school representatives and individuals on February 24 and 25, 1997 in Bethel, Alaska. The theme of our meeting was Integrating Yup'ik/Cup'ik Knowledge in Education. School representatives are an integral part of this project in sharing ideas, brainstorming and planning ways we can integrate Yup'ik/Cup'ik language, culture and knowledge in contemporary science, math and other classes. Quyurtellerkiullemteni quyana ikayurlua ernerkiurluta mat'umi Kepnercim nangyartullrani Mamterillermi. Quyureskumta elitnaurutkanek yivririciqukut Yugtaat aturluki. Wani elitnaurvigni calilriit caliameng ilii maniluku, umyuangcarluteng caarkanek taquciiqut elilnauruteksunarqellrianek qaneryaramteggun, yuucimteggun, qanruyutet elitnaurutkani alaitengesqelluki. The project initiative begins by focusing on activities that inspire the elders, teachers and students in integrating Yup'ik/Cup'ik language, culture and knowledge with Yup'ik/Cup'ik science and math curriculum development. Secondly, brainstorming to solicit ideas to integrate Yup'ik/Cup'ik language, culture and knowledge with science and math curriculum from an indigenous perspective. Finally, a planning session to establish tangible goals for the project and set calendar dates for the year. Caliaput ayagniutengqertuq yivrirluki elitnaurutkat atuugarkat tegganret, elitnauristet elitnaurat-llu piliarit paivvluki qaneryaramteggun, piciyaramteggun, qanruyuutetgun atuulrianek watua. Nutaan-llu taqumanrilnguut alairrluki atuuyugngalriit nutem wangkuta yugni piciryaraput aturluku una aipaimta elitnaurilauciat ilaluku piyuutevcenek. Nutaan, taqucugngaukut caarkamtenek, taqlerkiurluki-llu caliamta piyuuti maliggluku. The role of the regional elder council is to advise us on regional issues such as from the indigenous perspective. To facilitate this perspective, we would need to gain consensus on some of the regional issues under this project. Tegganret calilriit qanrutnarqaakut caliamta qilertellerkaanek ellaita piyuutiit maliggluku, cali-llu wangkuta umyuallgutekluta tegganemta qanellrit maligtaquluki. *Yup'ik translation in Akula dialect. Mumigtelqa Yugtun Akulmiucetun pimauq | |
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Yup'ik Region by Barbara Liu:The elders conveyed their formal schooling experiences. We learned through them that there were many interesting aspects of the school. The most significant parts of territorial schooling were that the teachers were bilingual in Yup'ik and English and taught in both languages for a period of time. The students were around puberty age. Prior to attending school, the language skills, traditional values and customs were taught by parents and elders. Despite the lack of formal education in science and math, the parents and elders inherited the role as teachers in teaching their children through events in their daily life. This home teaching environment continued to nourish until the development of schools. The elders who did not attend this year's Bilingual Multicultural Education Conference relived their traditions in parenting by the speech of elder Clarence Irrigoo. The emphasis given by Mr. Irrigoo was that parenting should begin before children reach puberty age. The elders also voiced their recommendations in working together on the cultural and intellectual property rights issue. Unfortunately, the coordination of the regional MOA activities were not discussed due to time constraints. I hosted two additional teleconferences since the February meeting to address the coordination of regional MOA activities. MOA representatives were all invited to join the teleconferences and the outcomes were positive. A curriculum planning meeting took place in conjunction with the Department of Education initiative in the first week of May in Dillingham. Quyana. | |
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Yup'ik Region by Barbara Liu:Ray Barnhardt and a number of others have developed a draft outlining the Alaska Standards for Culturally Responsive Schools (included in this newsletter). The outline is designed for rural students, teachers, curriculum and schools. It will be on the agenda at the Standards Forum meeting scheduled on September 24th in Anchorage. Our region under AKRSI is rotating on our second year themes of Y/Cup'ik Ways of Knowing and Culturally-Aligned Curriculum Adaptation. This year we are sponsoring regional consortiums involving memorandum schools. Last year several state consortiums were held in Anchorage and Sitka. Our region was well represented with various school personnel and elders. At the last staff meeting in July, we tentatively scheduled the first round of five cultural regional consortiums. The Yup'ik regional consortium is tentatively scheduled for the week of October 13, 1997. Peggy Cowan will be working with our region this coming year. A teleconference to plan for the fall consortium has been arranged. Lastly, I hope everyone had a good summer with your families. Teachers and students are getting back in classrooms for another school year of activities. With spring and summer products put away ready for use, the following are a few more supplies to collect for a variety of scientific and mathematical activities students can be engaged in. Different types of wood/driftwood used for carving utensils and tools, bundles of grass, moss for its multiple use, good mud for stories and edible and medicinal products such as labrador tea, roots and stinkweed. Nature has so much to offer-thankyou. Until next time, tuaingunricugnarquq! | |
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Yup'ik Region by Barbara Liu:I've established the following local contacts with K-12 school districts: Laurine Domke, Lower Yukon School District; Janelle Cowan, Southwest Regional School District; Charles Kashatok, Lower Kuskokwim School District; and Sophie Kasayulie, Yupiit School District. Classroom staff who participated in incorporating local initiatives include: John Pingayak, Kashunamiut School District; Natalia Leuhman, St. Mary's School District; and Okalena Morgan, Kuspuk School District. They have given reports on their experiences in utilizing learning circles in their classrooms. In the past year Yupiit, St. Mary's, Lower Yukon, and Lower Kuskokwim school districts contributed to curriculum building with lessons on plants, weather, and animals involving local resources. One long-term effort has been involving science, math, and language arts teachers and integrating traditional practices. Traditional C/Yupik teaching involves the community, environment, and integration by subject and developmental stage. Oral stories are important sources of cultural knowledge, but require that community storytellers be recognized and invited to participate in the school. Two professors at the Kuskokwim Campus, Cecilia Martz and Lucy Sparck, have made tremendous effort in bringing Y/Cup'ik storytellers into Alaska Native studies courses. Most recently, Wassilie Berlin and Louise Tall were guest lecturers on regional war stories that weave math, science, language arts, and social studies around one topic. Mark John of the Calista Elders Council has approached me this year to help coordinate an Elders and Youth Conference at the start of next school year. The Elders and youth will be the key players in the two-day conference at Kasigluk, Alaska. Hopefully, this will lead into starting local and regional camps and academies. The Athabascan and Iñupiaq regions have been sharing Elders' reports of this summer activity. Prior to public schools and the onset of land claims, spring and summer camping was a whole community activity that involved the whole community. As meetings subside for the summer and with the recent statewide consortium meeting I helped coordinate in St. Mary's behind us now, I am focusing on transcribing audiotapes of oral stories. Various agencies and individuals have made progress in developing C/Yup'ik resources that help equip our children with talents and gifts. Let's work harder at raising our children in a good direction. There are two Yup'ik stories told by my respected uncles, the late Phillip Charlie and Nicholai Berlin, who grew up with my father in Qinaq community near Tuntutuliak. The first story is by Mr. Charlie (these stories are not to be reproduced in any form without the permission of the author): There were these two men traveling along with their own dogsled. Their families were riding in the sled and both were going in the same direction. One of the men had his wife and children bundled in the sled and they were traveling slower than the other man who just had his wife in the sled. They had a lighter load and were going faster. Passing the other man and his family, he motions to him, "Unload some of your load," and drove right past. Later in life, the two men are old and they meet again by sled. One is riding in the sled with his son driving the sled and the man who had motioned was still pushing along his sled. At this time, the old man in the sled driven by his son passed the other old man riding by himself. A more factual event told recently is oral tradition of nature and man. Many of you may have forgotten the comet or "smoking star" that occurred two winters ago. One of my dad's brothers recalled a story passed on to him by our great-grandmother, that the comet occurs tallimanek yingqigtaqan-every five generations. My great-grandmother had heard her grandmother's account of the food shortage that occurred five generations ago. With the signs out there and the fifth generation of Yuut/Cuut leaving us and almost gone, this shortage will occur as they have always told it. In times of shortage, let's ask what we can do for our community. I'd like to acknowledge my parents, the late Nickefer Opai Nick born in Qinaq and Elena Nick born in Kayalivik, my late uncle Phillip Charlie, uncle Nicholai Berlin, and my brother Robert living in Nunapitchuk, for contributing to my article. Tua-ingunrituq. | |
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Yup'ik Region by Barbara Liu:Uksuarmi arcaqalriik piarkak qanrutekciqagka. Elitnaurviit ilait ilagauciiqut upluteng elitnaurateng kangingnaullerkaatnek yuut qaillun ilakellrat, nunam-llu cikiutai kangingnaurluki qaillun piullratnek, ilait-llu tayim nani nunallret uitaciit kangingnauryugngaluki. Nunameggni tegganret wall'u angayuqateng apqaurluki ukut ilaitnek piarkauluteng. Uksuaqu cali Amiirairviim nalliini quyurtaalriit pamani Kassiglumi cali ilagarciqanka. Calistet Tegganrit ayagyuanek ilaluteng quyurciiqut arcaqalriit paivvluki ciuqvaarni yuullrat watuam-llu nalliini ayuqucirput. Ayallruunga unavet Unalaska-ami Tegganrit ayagyuamegnek ilaluteng quyurtellriit paqlluki cali tayim piyunaqkuma qavatmurciiqlua Sleetmiunun. Tamaani qanemciit tapeani kuumalriit niicugniyarturluki nunallret-llu atritnek tamaani calilria yugtun ikayuqeryarturluku. Qaaritaami tangruskumta amaani AFN-aalriani atauwauciquq. Uumiku igaqumci tayim qaillun makut caarkat ayallratnek qaneryugngaciqliunga. Tua-ingunrituq, Mak Hello, it's the end of summer and getting close to autumn. Without any work travel since last spring, it's been great! With a new school year approaching, things are picking up. I recently went to an Assessment Institute in Sitka where teachers from all over the state worked on improving science standard assessment. Two important events coming up. The Family History Computer Training will be held in September with some regional schools. Teachers will participate on ways to incorporate exploring family trees, nature, mapping old sites with recordings of stories and photos, with their students. The second event is in September, where I will participate with the Calista Elders/Youth gathering up at Kasigluk where various topics will be compared ranging from traditional methods of living to present day. I attended the Unangan Elder and Youth Culture camp August 10-14 in Unalaska. A trip to the village of Sleetmute is planned, where I will listen to Yup'ik Elder documents and help with the Yup'ik orthography of historical sites in the Holitna River area. Hope to see you at the AFN Elder and Youth Convention in October. Until next time, Barbara | |
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Yup'ik Region by Barbara Liu:This is how Atsaruaq describes the beginning of Ingulaq: "During Ingulaq, a handmade seagull (made out of grass and skin) is hung with a rope (made of seal) from the window to the entry. When a father brought in a gift with his daughter, he would hang their gift on the seagull and daughter would begin to dance. While she dances, the gift that is on the seagull is lifted up to the window and lowered back down. Then, the father unties it and brings to the back of the qasgi while the daughter stops dancing and enters. The gifts were of skin or fur, (seal, fox, wolf, etc). More fathers would bring in gifts with their daughters during this ceremony. The gifts were for the dancers (daughters). As we got ready to go to the qasgi, our mothers taught us the simple movement of our entry dance. After Ingulaq, Nakaciuq began. This ceremony involved seal bladders that were processed from the previous spring seal hunt. The seal bladders were blown up, tied and hung to dry. Then, untied to let the air out, folded and put away for the summer until winter. Before dancing, the wives put on their seal gut raincoats and some used their husband's raincoat. Carrying their husband's folded seal bladder catch in a woven grass , they entered the qasgi, and threw the bladders in a stream towards their husbands and danced. I don't know the dances because I didn't get to dance. Later, the bladders were dampened in water, blown back into shape, and hung apart at the back roof of the qasgi. During the hot baths, the hanging bladder ornaments were put in the outer entry then afterwards hung inside attached in the woven sea grass. Once I remember, my mother said to me, "two are gathering tall celery plants". They were two young men pushing a sled to gather a bundle of celery that were strung onto a carved wooden stick . In the qasgi, the boys who gathered the plants, lit up the plant tops and went out. The men followed them, holding their bladder ornaments and went out with everyone else. All the fathers went out first and then us. My mother was toting a child on her back holding my hand. We went and gathered around something I couldn't see. So, I crawled in between all the fathers' legs. My mother did the same. I reached the center and in the midst, I saw an ice opening, square shaped, with each corner carved hollow . So, that is where the men pushed the bladders under the ice. After that, we headed towards home. My mother held my hand again, telling me, "Hurry, before the water man meets us; walk faster." So it was, on our way home, when one man went to the square opening to deliver water in a seal stomach water bag then poured its contents into the ice opening. My mother took me home and finally when we were inside the house, she took my boots off. There was only one time when everyone caught colds in the spring, and this event was done to prevent colds during the fall, winter and throughout the summer. After the bladders are thrown, colds stopped for a year. This was our cold medicine and we didn't catch colds anytime only in the spring." "Ingulaq, canek qasgiraameggnun qasgimun itrulluteng kiavet. Kanavet pugyaramun naruyaq agalria tapruarmeng piliameng pinevkarameng nayirmeng. Kan'a-llu makliim aqsain pinevkain tamakunek cagtengqerrluteng usguquurluku naruuyaruameng-llu pilirluku. Aklumek itrutaqami aataq paniini yurallrani tuavet qillrutnauraa naruyaruamun. Naruyaruam taugken mayuulluku pikavet egalermun. Egalermeng-llu atraan augarluku, yuralriall tuan taqluni. Tuam-tall alla yurarngan atii taum tuatlu caneng piciatun pikangqerutaciramitun tauna naruyaruaq qillervikluku mayuucilluku pikavet. Atraan-llu angilluku kiavet qasgim egkuanun elliluku. Piciatun amirkanek nayirneng piciatun pikangqerutacirameggcetun kaviarnek, white fox-aanek, qegglunernek tamakuneng caneng wagg'uq ciamtaliluki nauga maai cat cikiraqkait caalqunek qasgimi tamakut yuralriit. Aataita tuaten pinaurait. Qasgimun agqataraqamta aanamta elicaarnauraitkut waten yuraasqelluta kiiran tawa yuraasqelluta waten qasgimun agqataqapigtaqamta. Tuamtall tauna taqngan Nakacugnek egciluteng. Upnerkarpak seal-at nayiit makliit issuriit nakacuit qerrurluki kinerciraarluki paingit-llu ikirluki ellcelluki. Imegluki qemaggluki qemangqalukill kiagpak. Nutaan-llu tavani yuraqataat imgulluku naqtanun. Qalinek all'uteng nulirita tamakut nakacuut itrulluki qasgimiun. Taumunllu pitaqestiitun kayimlerluki tunluki. Yurarluteng canek taugaam yuvarutengqerruciitanka yuraqallrunrilama. Yurarluteng arnat qalinek atkugturluteng uimeng qaliitnek. Tuaten-llu tuai piraarcelluki qasgimi kenilluki keniqaarlukill qerrurluki qavavet qasgim egkuanun caggluki agarluki. Maqiqataraqameng amigmun an'artaqluki maqilriit taq'aqaata qavavet agaucirluki taprualugmeng qilqetaaraulluki nakacuteng pinaurait. Ataucirqumek wii tuaten nakacugmek egcilriamek aanama qanrullua ikiitugcurnilukek. Ikiitugculriik taukuk kasmuraurlutek ikiitugneng qugtarlutek. Tawaill paugaarmun qillrulluki kangratnun. Qillruqaarluki-llu elegluki qasgimek anulluki kenurpagaraqtaraarluteng qasgiq. Anucatkii-llu ayiigneng nakacugnek tegumiarluteng tamalkurmeng angutet nakacut tamakut pitarameng nakacuit tegumiaqluku angutek kingunratgun ayagluteng. Yugyakapiarluteng aatarugaat anluteng wangkuta-llu kingumek. Aanama wii tass'uquurlua Cimiarmek ikum Charlie Friday tunumigturluni. Ayaulluta quyurrluteng-llu avatairluku ca camna cauluku quyurrluteng yugyakaapiar-luteng qaillun-llu tangerrsunaunani. Uitaqanritua miktellruamall tamaani aatat iruita akuliitgun pulaarlua camna caumakngaat paqeskilaku aatat iruita akulaitgun pullua iruita akulaitgun pulaaqlua. Tua-i camna tekitaqa. !Maaten anluartangqelliniluni elakartangqelliniluni cikuq yaassiigenqeggluni iquuk taugken kangirain nallait tuavnengqerrluteng kelutmun tevaumaluteng tangerqeraarluku. Tuamtall aanaka cali iruitgun akuliitgun. Cunaug tauna tuavet nakacuteng kenegqelluki kicelluki eggluki nakacuteng-gguq. Egcimariamegteki uterqaqluteng Aanama wii tassuquurlua kiikirturlua, 'Kiiki, melgilriim nakacugnek melgilriim tumkeciqakuk, uqilacarluten'. Cunaug tuai uterqaqaqamta angun atauciq tuavet !ayatulliuq wagg'uq melgir, mermeng payuggluki qilumeng imiqerluku qiluq tauna tawavet maqcarturluku elakaliallratnun. Aanama utrullua nutaan-llu nemtenun itrucamia kamilaqluta. Qusermeng qusraarluteng nunat qusermun yungcautekluku tuai tauna. Qusenermek taqluteng qusyuunateng uksurpak kiagpak allrakum iluani upnerkarmi taugaam qusernaurtukut Nakacugnek-llu egciata qusnermek taqluta. Tawaten tuai taugaam pituluta. Nakacugnek tuai egcilria qusrircautekluku qusernanrirnaurtukut qusyuunatall allragnirpak uksurpak kiagpak nutaan-llu uksunrian quserluta. Qusrem tut'etuluta tawani quserpeknatall maani piciatun kiiran tuai quseryaraqluku. I wish everyone a healthy and a prosperous year. Tua-ingunrituq, Mak | |
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Yup'ik Region by Barbara Liu:The Yup'ik Eskimo Dictionary (ANLC, 1984) contains two charts of Yup'ik kinship terms. (see a derivation of the charts on the opposite page.) During the two-day workshop last September, Elsie Mather, originally from Kwigillingok and now living in Bethel, explained the kinship terms. The Yup'ik book, Aatama Aanama-llu Anelgutai: My Mom and Dad's Siblings, written by Rosalie Lincoln of Toksook Bay, was distributed to participants from Yupiit School District, LKSD, St. Mary's School District and Lower Yukon School District. Rosalie, who works for LKSD as a teacher, attended the training and demonstrated how to use the book with small children and young adults who are learning some of these terms. Names and kinship terms are passed on within the range of great-grandparents and great-grandchildren. If an individual has a great-great-grandchild, he/she has no kinship term to address such offspring. Training participant Mildred Evan's (Akiachak) family tree has a living great-grandparent and a great-great grandchild who confirmed it. Today, as in generations past, naming is important in Y/Cup'ik culture. Older children in the region use these terms comfortably. However, the younger generation speakers, as old as those in their 40s, are using more English terms, losing formal kinship knowledge. Teaching the vocabulary is essential and requires study and practice. Presenting the concepts to children is meaningful and helps in understanding family. Children, especially teenagers, can learn who is too close to date or marry-your cousins could be as close as your own siblings. The old way's of forbidding intimate relationships involved an understanding of genetics and your family tree. The terms I outline for the rest of this article were compiled by the Alaska Native Language Center staff. The terms are not limited to this list, dialectal differences apply and it is not a complete list. There are other many postbase or ending to terms that can distinguish position and age. Try using a similar chart to teach family tree substituting terms with your local preference. Begin your research of family names branching out from yourself to your great-grandparents (amauq), to great-grandchildren (iluperaq). Your grandfather and grandmother are apaurluq and maurluq respectively. Your father, aata, and mother, aana. As parents, your son is qetunraq and daughter is panik. An older sibling is amaqliq and with gender, older sister is alqaq and older brother is anngaq. Your younger siblings, male or female, are your kinguqliq or uyuraq. Nayagaq is also a younger sister term but only addressed by an older brother to a younger sister. These same brother and sister terms can carry on to the children of siblings of the same sex such as sister to sister and brother to brother children. Cousins are children of siblings that are brother to sister or sister to brother. The terms are by gender of both sibling parents and children. Ilungaq and nuliacungaq are female cousins. Iluraq and Uicungaq are male cousins. Aunt and Uncle terms depend on how they are related to your parents. There are four terms to distinguish them: An uncle who is your father's brother is your ataata, but an uncle who is your mother's brother is your angak. An aunt who is your mother's sister is your anaana, and your father's sister is your acak. From an aunt's or uncle's perspective, there are also four terms to address nephews and nieces: As a female (anaana) you address your sister's child nurr'aq. As a female (acak), you address your brother's child, an'garraq. As a male (angak), you address your sister's child, usruq. As a male (ataata), you address your brother's child, qangiar. Lastly, your grandchild is tutgaq. Nephew and niece offspring of anaana and ataata address a grand nephew/niece as tutgaq and they in turn are addressed as grandparents. So, I am a grandmother of two to my sister's children's offspring. I hope by elaborating on such a topic, it brings to readers an idea of the depth of our system as well as motivate parents and teachers to teach them to our children. I would like to acknowledge Rosalie Lincoln and her father, Phillip Moses of Toksook Bay, for clarifying and proofing some of the terminology. In closing, 1999 brings a new exciting initiative for the Y/Cup'ik region involving Elder Academy camps. There are seven school districts involved with this process following the example of other regions who have finished with it. Although previous camps have been held in the summer, they are not limited to this season. Each district will initiate camps inviting Elders and district staff to work together. There are many details and I plan to be in touch with district organizers as soon as MOAs are distributed. Quyana. Yup'ik Kinship Terms The area above highlighted in white reflects the female point of view. The white area below reflects the male point of view. Male Female Key: male female marriage = The above chart is not all inclusive and dialectical differences may apply. | |
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Yup'ik Region by Barbara Liu:Kashunamiut School District is sponsoring a sod house rebuilding summer camp at one of their traditional sites which is within a boating distance from Chevak. More information on Kashunamiut Camp is available from John Pingayak at Kashunamiut School (email: pingayaq@hotmail.com) or by calling (907) 858-7712. Bristol Bay Campus/Ciulistet Research Association is sponsoring a mini-spring Squirrel camp at Picnic Beach a short distance from Dillingham. More information on the BBC/CRA camp is available from Esther Ilutsik at Bristol Bay Campus (email: fneai@uaf.edu) or by calling (907) 842-3502. Yupiit School District is sponsoring a Mini-Fish camp, which is a boat ride away from Akiachak. More information on the Yupiit Camp is available from Sophie Kasayulie at the Yupiit School (email: skasayulie@akiachak.ysd.schoolzone.net) or by calling (907) 825-4427. Southwest Region School District is sponsoring a camp near Manokotak. More information on SWRSD Camp is available from Dana Bartman at Manokotak School (email: dbartman@manokotak.swrsd.schoolzone.net) or by calling (907) 289-1013. In March, 1999, a two-day meeting was held for some of the Academy of Elders' camp coordinators; the planning process was conducted in the C/Yup'ik language. Esther Ilutsik, (representing BBC/Ciulistet) came as well as Joe Slats representing Yupiit School District and Earl Atchak, an alternate for John Pingayak, representing Kashunamiut. Two of our Elder consultants on regional camps were Andrew Ayuluk of Chevak and Joe Lomack of Akiachak. After introductions, I gave a brief overview of the AKRSI project and our initiative for this year, and quoted our C/Yup'ik philosophy statement developed on C/Yuuyaraq. Two years ago, a written statement was developed through a graduate course facilitated by Cecilia Martz along with Elder Louise Tall of Chevak. Students involved were Joe Slats of Akiachak, John Lamont of Alakanuk, Evon Azean of Kongignak, Tim and Fanny Samson of Kipnuk, John Mark of Quinhagak, Lorina Warren of Eek, Flora Ayuluk of Chevak and myself. In our two-day meeting, we talked about science and math-how learning is through hands-on activities out in the field. While we may be able to tie-in Western science and Y/Cup'ik ways of living, there was some fear expressed that in melding the two ways of knowing, that the use of English would create some imbalance in our "Y/Cuuyaraq". The Elders agreed that they are not in a position to divide us but to encourage us to work together towards involving our "Y/Cuuyaraq" through education. Earl Atchak of Chevak added, "the words of the poster send hope, strength and unity." We further clarified our Academy of Elder Camps' mission in our discussions. Everyone accepted the Y/Cup'ik poster philosophy as guiding our camps' direction. The wisdom truly comes from the hearts of our Elder men and women. The Elders expressed the importance of presenting camp activities in our own language. It was encouraged that participants be able to understand and speak with them. Elders Joe Lomack and Andrew Ayuluk spoke in agreement using high Yup'ik vocabulary at times, enlightening several thoughts in running camps and setting guidelines. Joe Lomack explained Ellam Kilgartaan/Creator watches over the land, water and its inhabitants. There are rules on hunting and gathering for family members experiencing death, miscarriage and menses. Ella/Weather animals and fish sense those affected by these three areas. There are many side effects, both long-term and short-term, through good or bad weather and abundance or scarcity of animals and fish that can affect the whole community or camp. Consequently, if a sponsor takes this seriously and requires that the camp participants let it be known who have not experienced any of the three within the year, the weather will cooperate and animals and fish will be available. Andrew Ayuluk mentioned a concern that children are not used to camping anymore and need parental support to motivate them. Involving community adults, such as young parents and teachers in the camp to motivate youth and Elders, begins a good example of Y/Cup'ik families, schools and community working harmoniously. Any questions on the AKRSI memorandum of agreements with school districts within the Y/Cup'ik region or activities associated with AKRSI, please contact your school district coordinators or myself. Contacts are Nita Rearden, LKSD; Sophie Kasayulie, Yupiit; John Pingayak, Kashunamiut; Ellen Napoleon, LYSD; Lillian Johnson, St. Mary's; Dana Bartman, SWRSD and Cheryl Jerabek, Kuspuk. Have a great summer. C/Yuuyaraq Wangkuta Y/Cup'igni qanruyutet aturluki anglituukut. Ilakuyulluta, ukvertarluta, pingnatuuluta. Nallunrilamta Yuuyaramteni piciryarangqerramta nutemllarmek. Qigcikiyaram aturtai taringumaut ellam iluanelnguut elpengqellrit nunuliutengqellrit-llu. Qanruyutem aturtai umyuartuluteng, elluatuuluteng, nuuqitevkenateng yuuluaqerciqut. Translation: We, the C/Yupiit are raised according to the original directions of our forefathers. We love one another, our belief is strong and we continue to better our lives. We know that our way of life has been grounded in traditional values and customs since time immemorial. Those who follow the teachings of respect understand that everything has a spirit with rewards of gratitude. Those who follow the teachings of our ancestors are intelligent, self-assured and prosperous. | |
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Yup'ik Region by Barbara Liu:With that, as the current year winds down and we prepare to start a new one there are several people in the region who I would like to give special recognition to, along with all the individuals in the region who helped the AKRSI complete another successful year. Their hard work and dedication helped to fulfill the cultural standards developed through AKRSI and the Y/Cuuyaraq values that remind us of our belief that all aspects of learning are tied together. It's been another year of helping schools work closer with community, Elders, teachers and children. Stationed from Aleknagik and Dillingham, Esther Ilutsik has coordinated local workshops with Elders and teachers. Esther's ability with the process of bringing cultural lessons into the elementary mainstream curriculum is commendable. One of the lessons on mouse food gathering was featured in the last issue of Sharing Our Pathways. Another hardworking coordinator, Nita Rearden of the Lower Kuskokwim School District, has worked hard on developing cultural lessons as well. With enthusiasm, she develops classroom lessons for teachers that are rooted in tradition and local knowledge. Kuspuk school district MOA coordinator, Cheryl Jerabek of Aniak, has also jumped in with a positive attitude in working toward the goals of the project that earmark cultural activities with students. Another coordinator to bring culture alive, through Yupiit partner activities, is Sophie Kassayulie of Akiachak. Sophie works just about year 'round to keep up with the demands of this project. When Sophie and I talk in our own "slow dialect" (cukassaagarpeknanuk), it's with a sense of understanding that cultural language, beliefs and values are rooted in our heritage and education. John Pingayak, AKRSI coordinator out of Chevak, is a culture bearer. John teaches cultural activities with Kashunamiut School District, bringing science alive by integrating experience with the land, sea and air of this ancient area. My Grandmother Cupluar came from this territory. John brings the music of our ancestors alive-his hard work and dedication is commendable. Another special feature of the year comes from Newhalen's Cultural Heritage Project funded with Newhalen Tribal Council as a partner involving the high school and community researching the backyard history buried in an old village site. This project was also featured in the last issue of Sharing Our Pathways in an article written by Michael Roberts, high school teacher with Lake and Peninsula School District. Michael Roberts and John Pingayak, along with several students, presented their projects this year at the Alaska Federation of Natives Elder and Youth Conference October 19, 1999. Additionally, the Y/Cup'ik region will end this year with a regional meeting in conjunction with the Calista Elder and Youth Conference scheduled November 1-4, 1999 in St. Mary's. Reports and year-five initiatives will be planned with all partners. Thank you and see you then. Quyana, tua-i-ngunrituq. I would like to give special recognition to . . . all the individuals in the region who helped the AKRSI complete another successful year. Their hard work and dedication helped to fulfill the cultural standards developed through AKRSI and the Y/Cuuyaraq values that remind us of our belief that all aspects of learning are tied together. | |
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Yup'ik Region Hosts 1998 Alaska Native/Rural Education Consortium:St. Mary's, Alaska hosted the 1998 Statewide Alaska Native/Rural Education Consortium meeting. The village sits nestled on the banks of the Andreafski River. John Pingayak leads the consortium in a short dance break at the meeting in St. Mary's. Approximately 60 Alaska Rural Systemic Initiative (AKRSI) participants from around the state gathered in St. Mary's April 4-7 for the 1998 statewide Alaska Native/Rural Education (AN/RE) Consortium meeting. Everyone was very appreciative of the hospitality of the people of St. Mary's and the work that Barbara Liu and others from the C/Yup'ik region put into hosting the annual meeting. The reports from the school districts and Native organizations in the region outlined many of the exciting initiatives that are currently underway aimed at bringing local knowledge and ways of knowing into the schools. These included the EFG curriculum development work in the Yupiit School District, the cultural camps in the Lower Yukon School District, the Yup'ik Encyclopedia initiative in the Lower Kuskokwim School District, the Talking Circle applications in the Kashunamiut and Kuspuk School Districts, and the Yup'ik Math Project in the Southwest Region. In addition, reports were provided on the C/Yup'ik philosophy poster, the Tribal College initiative, the Yup'ik Journalism project, the "Nutemllaput: Our Very Own" video tape, and the upcoming Yup'ik Elders and Youth Convention to be held in September. The reports generated a lot of interest and enthusiasm on the part of participants and we will be following up with distribution of the resource materials that are beginning to come from these initiatives. On the statewide level, Peggy Cowan reported on the innovative work that is underway in the various regions on the development of math and science curriculum units that illustrate the integration of local cultural knowledge to help with the teaching of state content standards. Peggy also reported on the working group that is developing science performance standards to indicate ways in which students can demonstrate what they know at certain grade levels. These will eventually contribute to performance assessments that take into account the cultural context in which rural students learn science and math. Along with all the other presentations and events that took place at the meeting, participants were able to enjoy an evening of Yup'ik dancing at the community center in St. Mary's that included everyone from Elders to children providing many enjoyable performances. By the time we left St. Mary's, our hearts and minds were filled to capacity with new ideas and, as usual, good memories of the Elders' wit and wisdom that was shared with us. Keep up the good work, all of you. The week following the AN/RE Consortium meeting, our program officer, Jerry Gipp, and two other representatives of the National Science Foundation (NSF) visited the Iditarod Area School District in McGrath and the Kodiak Island Borough School District in Kodiak. At each site they were able to talk to district personnel, visit schools, and meet with teachers involved in the curriculum unit-building work that is underway. In addition, they were able to meet people in the local communities and get a first hand impression of the challenges that schools face in bringing a culturally meaningful education to students in rural communities in Alaska, especially in the face of the current budgetary threats. The NSF team left Alaska with a greater appreciation for the hard work that is being done in rural schools, as well as for the hospitality of the people with whom they were able to visit. Thank you Alan Dick and Teri Schneider for hosting the visits in your areas and to all of you who made the visitors feel at home in Alaska. Have a good summer! | |
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Yup'ik Region: After Culture Camp by Mike Hull:We have not learned all that we might from the culture camp setting. We can't even say that we have accomplished all we thought we should during any session. In Alakanuk, we already find ourselves looking for the next step. Perhaps it is the pace of the internet world that is telling us to move on. After all, we have been starting the school year with camping trips for four years-in cyber-time that represents an established tradition. We have integrated a science curriculum into the camp activities for two years-that's practically an institution. The culture camp setting presents us with a very clear image of the real needs of the students. They need to learn the basic subsistence skills to provide for themselves and their families in this setting. They need to acquire the academic skills to comprehend and deal effectively with the changing world around them. They need to develop the spiritual awareness and strength of character necessary to assure healthy relationships with all who share their world. At fall camp students catch, cut, cook and dry fish. They pick berries and they learn the use of different plants. They hunt seal. They also learn hunting and boating safety. What don't they know about keeping themselves alive during freeze up? And what are the tools and the knowledge they need to find food during the winter? How do they use their time in one season to get ready for the next? The camp is really a great academic setting because we (parents and teachers) can make sure that the students go to bed and get up at a certain time, eat well, get plenty of fresh air and exercise-and they don't watch TV. We don't have that kind of influence back in the village. What kind of learning environment can overcome lack of sleep, sugar highs and lows and the brain numbing overdose of TV? The interdependence of all is very apparent at camp. All must help set up tents or we won't have shelter. All must help with catching and cleaning fish or we don't eat. All must strive to get along because we live close, very close and any conflict affects everyone. Those from strong families grow up with these values. But what of those who do not have that guidance? And how do we bring young people to respect all that makes up their world when their virtual world challenges them to "blow away" anything that crosses their path? We need to move on. Fall camp is not enough. Subsistence skills are for all year long; they must be a part of our year-long curriculum. Each session presents particular challenges to staying alive. Each session presents the means for doing so. Using funds from the GEAR-UP program, Alakanuk has assembled a team to create a middle school curriculum that will have its focus on traditional and subsistence activities. An Elder along with two village residents who just completed their student teaching are working with the staff to design units and lessons that align the academic program to the knowledge and skills required for each season. The program depends upon community members to provide key elements for the core of our instruction. It returns the responsibility of education to those who traditionally held it. Elders will interact with students daily. Students preparing to cook fish for dinner. As with the camp, the activities of the season become the science and social studies. The practices passed on by the Elders and community members become the focus of research and analysis using the tools and methods of modern science. And, as with camp, the traditional wisdom will find verification under the microscope or be supported by data gathered from the internet. At winter camp stories of past adventures will be shared in tents late at night. When the students return to the village, stories of their new adventures will be written down to share with e-mail buddies far away. Such is the world our students belong to-a world that spans many millennia. We can meet the goal of students becoming proficient in subsistence skills. We can because they are interested and they have good teachers. We can do a better job of providing reading and writing skills because they will be reading and writing about things of interest to them-and they have good teachers. But perhaps the most exciting thing about this approach is that we can teach traditional values in the context that generated them. Skills may sustain the individual but it is the understanding of and the respect for the relationship of people to each other and to the world around them that sustain a people. Can we teach understanding and respect? Do we dare not to? As exciting and beneficial as the culture camp has been, it is just a beginning-the opening of a door to pathways we need to pursue. Students cutting fish. Editor's note: In the previous issue of Sharing Our Pathways, the Yup'ik Region was mistakenly labeled "Iñupiaq." For this we offer our apologies. | |
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