Description
Documentation of Yup'ik Elders words of wisdom that are valuable for other Yup'ik people including the younger generation as well as present members of this Alaska people. Drawing from their Yup'ik language, the Calista Elders Council has worked for several years documenting these cultural values and teachings. The Yup'ik people of southwestern Alaska were some of the last Arctic peoples to come into contact with non-Natives, and as a result, Yup'ik language and many traditions remain vital into the twenty-first century. Wise Words of the Yup'ik People documents their qanruyutet (adages, words of wisdom, and oral instructions) regarding the proper living of life. Throughout history, these distinctive wise words have guided the relations between men and women, parents and children, siblings and cousins, fellow villagers, visitors, strangers, and even with non-Natives. Yup'ik elders have chosen to share these wise words during Calista Elders Council gatherings and conventions since 1998 for instrumental reasonsùbecause of their continued relevance and power to change lives.