Ciulirnerunak Yuuyaqunak/Do Not Live Without an Elder: The Subsistence Way of Life in Southwest Alaska

by Ann Fienup-Riordan (Editor), Alice Rearden (Translator)

Overview

In October of 2010, six men who were serving on the board of the Calista Elders Council (CEC) gathered in Anchorage with CEC staff to spend three days speaking about the subsistence way of life. The men shared stories of their early years growing up on the land and harvesting through the seasons, and the dangers they encountered there. The gathering was striking for its regional breadth, as elders came from the Bering Sea coast as well as the Yukon and Kuskokwim rivers. And while their accounts had some commonalities, they also served to demonstrate the wide range of different approaches to subsistence in different regions.
            This book gathers the men’s stories for the current generation and those to come. Taken together, they become more than simply oral histories—rather, they testify to the importance of transmitting memories and culture and of preserving knowledge of vanishing ways of life.
 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781602232976
Publisher:	University of Alaska Press
Publication date:	10/15/2016
Edition description:	Bilingual
Pages:	400
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 10.00(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

Ann Fienup-Riordan is an anthropologist who has lived and worked in Alaska for more than forty years. She has written and edited more than twenty books on Yup’ik history and oral traditions. Alice Rearden is an Alaska-based translator and oral historian.
 

Table of Contents

Illustrations Tarenrat Nunanguat-llu ix

Acknowledgments Quyavikelput xiii

Do Not Live Without an Elder Ciulirnerunak Yuuyaqunak 1

Our land Nunavut 4

The subsistence way of life keeps us standing Nerangnaqsaram nangerngataakut 8

Those that are dangerous Aarnarqellriit 15

Ones warriors named Anguyiit acillrit 18

One that is memorable Nalluyagutnarqenrilnguq 19

The worlds inhabitants Ellam yui 21

We must speak to our grandchildren Qanrutarkaugaput tutgaraput 23

Yup'ik Transcription and Translation Yugtun Igautellrit Kass'atun-llu Mumigtellrit 26

The Subsistence Way Of Life Nerangnaqsaraq 32

John Phillip Ayaginaar 34

Paul John Kangrilnguq 58

Moses Paukan Ilupeq 94

Nick Andrew Apirtaq 104

Bob Aloysius Sliksuuyar 118

Martin Moore Utgaq 134

Dangers During Fall and Winter Aarnarqellriit Uksuarmi Uksumi-llu 156

Dangers of ocean hunting during freeze-up Cikuyungqatarluku imarpigmi aarnarqutet 156

Saltwater ice and freshwater ice Taryuum mer'em mepiam-llu cikua 160

Do not be without a walking stick Ayaruicaqunak 162

Dangers on land Nunami aarnarqellriit 164

Do not have the same mind-set as the weather Ella umyuallgucirpek'naku 166

Walking stick Ayaruq 166

Thin ice Mamkilnguq ciku 168

Saving oneself with grass Ellminek anirtullerkaq canegteggun 168

One is told not to eat snow Qanikcarmek neresqevkenaku 170

He is told to swallow his own urine Teq'urranek igesqelluku 170

Letting the blowing snow cover him Agevkarluni qanikcamun 172

Observe your surroundings Murilkelluku avatsi 174

Mountain streams are dangerous Carvat aarnarqut 174

Our father prepared Atavut upluni 176

The condition where the lee side of large lakes gets deep Nanevpaagaat uq'lirnerit et'urilallrat 180

There are many dangerous areas Aarnarqellriit amlletuut 182

Women made us large mittens Arnat aliumallugpilallruitkut 184

Deep gullies in the ice along the side of a river Qas'urneret 186

One must not quickly approach beaver dens Paluqtaat engeluit ullagarcunaitut 188

We who live upriver amongst trees Wangkuta qavani napat akunliitni uitatulin 190

They told us to go outside and look at the sky Anluta cella paqtesqelluku pitullrukaitkut 190

They say that first [layer of snow] is very dangerous Tamana ciuqliq aarnaqniluku cakneq qanrutek'laraat 192

Be prepared Upingakina 192

The arrival of fall is getting farther away Uksuaq yaaqsigingiinartuq tekitellra 194

Technology can help a person Technology-t ikayuutnguut 196

In the ocean during spring, they have admonishments Imarpigmi up'nerkami inerquutengqerrluteng 196

They say the ocean should be regarded with respect Imarpik-gguq takarnarquq 200

They say the land along the Yukon River instantly caves in without warning Meriglartuq-gguq Kuigpak merigyugaqami camek utaqavkenani 200

Fall, the middle of winter, and spring have precautions Uksuaq, uksum qukallra up'nerkaq-llu aarcirtuutengqertut 204

Dangers after snowfall Aamarqelriit qanikcangluku 204

He would let the blowing snow cover him Agevkarluni qanikcamun 206

Smart dogs won't miss Uniurrluki ayagngaitut qimugtet usvitulriit 208

Dangerous places that don't freeze Cikuyuilnguut aarnarqellriit 210

In spring the ocean also has instructions Up'nerkami imarpik call qanruyuterluni 210

Fresh water on the ocean Taryuunrilnguq meq imarpigmi 212

They say the ocean cannot be learned Imarpik-gguq elitaituq 214

One That Is Memorable Nalluyagutnarqenrilnguq 220

Mountain Ingriq 222

Place where one goes to defecate Anaqsarturvik 226

Little Russian Mission Curarpalek 228

Place with many gulls Naruyatuli 230

Kusilvak Mountain Ingrill'er 230

Snotty Slough Kakeggluk 232

All Women Arnarrlainaat 232

Emmonak Imangaq 232

Place to butcher animals Pilagvik 236

Fish Village and St. Marys Iqalliarvik Negeqliq-llu 236

Qaurraak Qaurraak 240

Places Where Warriors Once Lived Anguyiit Nilrit 246

Anuuraaq River Anuuraaq 246

Place with many great hunters Nukalpiarugarmiut 248

Arayakcaaq Arayakcaaq 254

That one who fell face first saved them Taum anirturluki kanaqallrem 256

Maqallartuli Maqallartuli 258

Kessigliq Kessigliq 266

Martin Moore's story Utgam qanemcia 266

How war started Anguyiim ayagnillra 268

Story of the end of war Anguyiim taqellran qanemcia 270

The World's Inhabitants Ellam Yui 274

Land animals Ungungssit 274

They say [animals] are aware Tamakut nallutaitnilarait 276

Animals disappear Tevituut pitarkat 282

One that awakens and revives Cegg'alria 284

Extraordinary beings Ircenrraat 290

Those who throw things and those who are constantly on the move Miluquyuliit eyiq'at-llu 294

Yuilrit and ircenrraat Yuilrit ircenrraat-llu 296

Small, usually helpful creatures who imitate people when spoken to Egacuayiit 306

Places where one tends to get lost Pellanat 314

One who fled from the village of Qinaq Qinarmiunek qimalleq 320

One Must Not Live Without an Elder Ciulirnerunani Yuuyunaituq 334

It is as though they brushed our way of life away Yuucirput kalellrulriatun ayuqaat 336

[Our elders] placed GPS devices in our pockets GPS-aamek qemangqaalillrullinikaitkut 338

They say a person's stomach cannot change Yuum-gguq aqsaqurra cimirciigatuq 342

They constantly gave moral advice Ellangcarturluki ayagyuateng pitullruut to their young people 344

You dear boy, don't live without an elder Tangurra'urluuq, ciulirnerunak yuuyaqunak 346

Notes 351

References 353

Index 357

Editorial Reviews

"An excellent resource for anyone interested in Yup’ik culture, ethnohistory, and, perhaps most especially, language. Further, the many practical aspects of wilderness survival covered here would be words of wisdom to many outdoorsmen. But lastly, and perhaps most important, this work stands as a testament to a narrative rarely acknowledged: that of ongoing, vibrant Native cultures and languages. "

Journal of Folklore Research