Who Are the Yupik?
The Yupik are Arctic indigenous peoples inhabiting both sides of the Bering Strait—southwestern Alaska (Central Yupik, approximately 24,000) and the Chukotka Peninsula of Russia (Siberian Yupik, approximately 1,700). They speak Yupik languages, part of the Inuit-Yupik-Unangan family, distinct from but related to Inuit languages. Unlike their Inuit neighbors to the north, Yupik traditionally relied heavily on salmon fishing alongside marine mammal hunting. Their name means "real people" in their language. The Bering Strait Yupik maintain connections across the US-Russia border—relatives separated by Cold War politics who have reconnected since the 1980s.
Subsistence Life
Yupik subsistence combines marine and riverine resources: seal, walrus, and whale hunting; salmon fishing (critical for winter food storage); gathering of berries, greens, and roots. The seasonal round moves between winter villages and summer fish camps. Traditional foods (often fermented or dried) remain central to diet and identity—"Yup'ik food" distinguishes authentic practice from Western imports. Subsistence rights are protected under Alaska law, recognizing that these practices are not merely economic but cultural and spiritual. Climate change disrupts traditional patterns: altered salmon runs, unpredictable ice, and shifting animal distributions challenge adaptation.
Yup'ik Dance
Yup'ik dance (yuraq) is a vital cultural expression—storytelling through movement, accompanied by drums and songs. Dancers use hand-held dance fans, moving arms in stylized gestures that narrate hunting, animals, legends, and daily life. Dance was suppressed by missionaries; elders preserved traditions despite prohibition. The Cama-i Dance Festival in Bethel (Alaska's largest Yup'ik community) now celebrates revival, drawing performers from across the region. Dance transmits cultural values, connects generations, and expresses Yup'ik identity. Young people learning dance reconnect with heritage that was nearly lost during the missionary period.
Trans-Bering Connections
The Bering Strait—only 85 km between Alaska and Chukotka—separated Yupik relatives during the Cold War. Soviet authorities relocated Siberian Yupik from their villages; contact across the strait was forbidden. The 1988 "Friendship Flight" and subsequent "ice curtain" thawing allowed reunions of families separated for decades. Today, special visa arrangements enable some cross-border visits, though relations depend on US-Russia politics. Siberian Yupik face different challenges than Alaskan relatives: Soviet-era disruption, Russian economic marginalization, and smaller population threatening language survival. The divided Yupik world demonstrates how superpower politics fragment indigenous peoples.
Contemporary Yupik
Alaskan Yupik communities face challenges familiar across rural Alaska: limited economic opportunities, high costs of living, health disparities, and youth outmigration. Yet cultural vitality persists—Yup'ik is among the healthiest Alaska Native languages, with many child speakers; dance and subsistence continue; bilingual education programs exist. Climate change particularly affects coastal communities: erosion threatens villages; sea ice changes impact hunting. The Cup'ik (a Yupik subgroup) village of Newtok is relocating due to climate impacts. How Yupik maintain culture while adapting to environmental and economic change defines their 21st-century challenge.
References
- Fienup-Riordan, A. (1994). Boundaries and Passages: Rule and Ritual in Yup'ik Eskimo Oral Tradition
- Barker, J. (1993). Always Getting Ready: Upterrlainarluta—Yup'ik Eskimo Subsistence in Southwest Alaska
- Krupnik, I. & Jolly, D. (2002). The Earth Is Faster Now: Indigenous Observations of Arctic Environmental Change