Who are the Yupik Eskimos?
Yupiit, also called Yupik or pejorative Western Eskimo, Indigenous Arctic people traditionally residing in Siberia, St. Lawrence Island and the Diomede Islands in the Bering Sea and Bering Strait, and Alaska. They are culturally related to the Chukchi and Inuit, of Canada and Kalaallit Nunaat (Greenland).
What are the Yupik known for?
In addition to dance fans, Yupik people are famous for their carved masks, which are usually made of wood, walrus ivory, whale bone, or even baleen. Some of these masks and other sculptures can move with the use of pulleys. Masks are often worn during Yupik dances.
Is Yupik an ethnicity?
The Yup’ik language is one of four or five Yupik languages branch of Eskimo–Aleut languages. Yup’ik is the largest ethnic group in Alaska and is the language now spoken by the largest number of native persons.
What is the difference between Inuit and Yupik?
According to the Alaska Native Language Centre (ANLC), Alaskans/Yupik accept “Eskimo” over “Inuit” as the latter is not a word in their language. To the Yupik, “Inuit” refers only to the Inupiat of northern Alaska, the Inuit of Canada, and the Kalaallit of Greenland.
Are the Yupik the same as Inuit?
“Inuit” is the plural of “inuk” meaning “person”, and “Yupik” is a singular word meaning “real person” based on the root word “yuk” meaning “person”. Note that mainland Yup’ik people prefer the spelling with p’, which indicates a long or geminate p. Yupik without the apostrophe refers to the people of St.
What did the Yupik tribe eat?
They hunted seals and walrus, caught fish, and sometimes even harpooned whales. But other Yupik people, who lived further inland, primarily hunted caribou and other land animals instead. The Yupik also gathered berries and other plants to supplement their diet. Here is a website with more information about Native food.
What kind of house did the Yupik tribe live in?
earth lodges
The Yupiks lived in earth lodges, sometimes known as barabara or pit houses. A Yupik earth house was made by digging an underground chamber, raising a wooden frame over it, covering the frame with grass mats, and then packing the whole structure in layers of earth to insulate it.
Who are the Yupik people?
The indigenous people or aboriginal communities of the southwestern, south-central Alaska and the Russian Far East are collectively known as the Yupik People. These people are more like Eskimos and are believed to be related to the Inupiat and Inuit peoples. Following are some categories of Yupik communities in the Alaskan regions.
What did the Yupik tribe do in the winter?
Alaska Yupik Tribe. The men’s communal house, the qasgiq, was the community center for ceremonies and festivals which included singing, dancing, and storytelling. The qasgiq was used mainly in the winter months, because people would travel in family groups following food sources throughout the spring, summer, and fall months.
Who is Raven in Yupik?
Raven is a culture hero of the Yu’pik and other Native Alaskan tribes. He is a benevolent transformer figure who helps the people and shapes their world for them, but at the same time, he is also a trickster character and many Yupik stories about Raven have to do with his frivolous or poorly thought out behavior getting him into trouble.