Marie Meade - Agayuliyararput/Our Way of Making Prayer: Kegginaqut, Kangiit-llu/Yupik Masks and the Stories They Tell

Agayuliyararput
Our Way of Making Prayer

Agayuliyararput

Kegginaqut, Kangiit-llu

Our Way of Making Prayer

Yupik Masks and the Stories They Tell

Transcribed and translated by Marie Meade
Edited by Ann Fienup-Riordan

Copyright 1996 by the Anchorage Museum of History and Art
Printed in the United States of America

All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Funded by:
The National Endowment for the Humanities
The Coastal-Yukon Mayors Association

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Agayuliyararput : kegginaqut kangiit-llu = Our way of making prayer : masks and the stories they tell / transcribed and translated by Marie Meade ; edited by Ann Fienup-Riordan.

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN 0-295-97509-1 (alk. paper)

1. Yupik masks. 2. Yupik dance. 3. Yupik EskimosRites and ceremonies. I. Meade, Marie. II. Fienup-Riordan, Ann. III. Anchorage Museum of History and Art.

E99.E7A38 1995

391'.434'089971dc2095-25849

CIP

The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American National Standard for Information SciencesPermanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI Z39.48-1984.

Cover illustration: John McIntyre (left) from Eek dances with Joe Chief, Jr., from Bethel. Photo by James H. Barker

Qaneryarangqerrsaaqut-am taukut.
Carrait qaneryarangqerlaryaaqut.

There are stories behind those [masks].
There is something of significance to say about every little thing about them.

Mary Mike, February 1994

Ukut kalikat umyuaqut kaput Nick Ayaginaar Charles-aam atranun canritlermini kegginaqulitullermun cingumaillermun-llu yuraryaramek. Cali-llu ukut kalikat umyuaqutkaput imkunun ayagyuanun niiteksailngurnun ukuni kalikarni igaucimaltianek ciulirneret qanemciitnek quliraitnek-llu.

To Nick Charles, Sr., a great teacher and mask-maker, and
to the younger generation, who have not heard these stories.

Quyaviksuganka cakneq ciulirneret tamalkuita ikayuutellret makut akallaat kegginaqut akmaken maavet iluvautellerkaat upyutlemteggu. Angukaraat arnarkaraat-llu nunacuarnun ayagaurallemni kangingengnaquurlua kegginaqulallratnek tamarmeng ciuniurturallruatnga cakneq ilaliurlua, nerevkarlua nunakegcivkarlua-llu. Nunacuarni makut tegganret yukegtaraat tengruluteng qalaruqurallruatnga imumi anguvilqerluki tangllermeggnek kegginaqurluteng agayulallratnek. Tamarmeng piyugteqluteng, imucetun kasnguyulriacetun pivkenateng qanrutkurallruit imkut ciuliamta piciryarallrit. Caperrsulriacetun-llu wall alingelriacetun pivkenateng qanerturallruut makut tuaten angalkut apaaluki caliarat-llu kanaraluku.

Ukut tungaunaki qalarutellrenka caknerpak quyaviksuganka, maa-i cali uitaluteng ilagarluta: Negeqlirmek, Mary Mike, Justina Mike, Jasper Louise, Johnny Thompson-aaq-llu; Qerrulligmek, Alma Keyes, Cecilia Foxie, Pauline Akaran, Willie Kamkoff-aq-llu; Mamterillermek, Kay Hendrickson, Dick Andrew, Fannie Wasky-llu; Nunapicuarmek, Nickolai Berlin, Natalia White-aq-llu; Kangirnarmek, Martha Mann, Julia Azean, Charlie David, Elena Phillip-aq-llu; Napaskiarmek-llu, Joseph Evan; Mikuryamek Harry Wesley, Robert and Edna Kolerak; Cevarmek Joseph Tuluk, Angelina Ulroan, Mary Friday-llu; Kuigilngurmek Frank Andrew; Nuigtarmek-llu, Elsie Tommy. Ukut-llu qalarutraanemnek aka catairutellret cali quyaviksuganka, Negeqlirmek Andy Kinzy, Kangirnarmek Mary Worm, Anchorage-aamek-llu William Tyson.

Ann Fienup-Riodan-aaq-llu quyviksugaqa cali. Ellii-llu ikayuqlunuk mana caliaq akikangrraanranek caliaqurallruarpuk. Elliin-llu cali kalikarugarnek imiriquluni akikaa matum unakengnaqellrua piciurrvianun. Watnacillerkarput-llu elliin umyuangutkelqaa ukut-llu, Fr. Astruc, Andy Paukan, Tim Troll-aq-llu ikayuqluki Anchorage Historical Museum-aami calilriit qalarutellruit ellait ikayuqluki mana caliaqsugluku. Museum-aam-llu calistain piyullrat ciuniullruat. Anchorage-aami-llu museum-aam angayuqra Pat Wolf-aq quyaviksugarput kegginaqut ciuniullranek yugnun tangercetnaluki. Nunakauyarmun-llu ciumek ayaulluki pillrat, tuamtell kinguakun Mamterillermun, tamana quyatekarput ellaitnun. Nunakauyarmiuni-llu quyavikamceci ciuniullerpecenek kegginaqut nunavce n un, yugnun-llu tailrianun tangercelluki. Mamterillermiuni-ll cali tuaten pillerci quyakarput.

Quyumta-llu Irene Reed-aq, Anna Jacobson-aaq-llu [Fairbanks-aarmiunguuk] ukut kalikat imarkait Yugtun igausngalriit naaqurluki yuvrinqegcaarturallruaput, alangqalriit kitugtaqluki. Kassatun-llu aka mugigtellrenka cali ikayuqluta kitugqurallruaput assirikanirluki naaqsunariluki. Taaam cali nallunailngurmek Kassatun pimallrit ilait alangqaciqut cukangnaqluta pillruamta. Elkek caknerpakayak qayvikqapqapqapiararagka akingutkamegnek qanerpeknatek ikayuutellragnek ukut kalikat imarkaitnek caliurallemni. Nurnamek tengrupiarlutek elkenka ikayullruagnga sassat amllepiat aturluki.

Ciulirneret qalarutkurallrit amllepiaryaaqut, taaam qanrukurallrita ilarrait ukuni kalikarni igausngaut. Ukaniku piyunarqekumta cali ukucetun naaqerkarpecenek igauciyugyaaqukut.

Cupluar, June 1995

Arnat atutukiit kegginaquq A. H Twitchell-aam pillra Kusquqvamek 1900s-aani. Uivenqellriit tamarmeng ellanguaruluteng. National Museum of the American Indian, New York

Womans mask collected by A. H. Twitchell from the Kuskokwim, early 1900s. Each hoop is designated ellanguaq (pretend universe). National Museum of the American Indian, New York, 9/3437 (66 cm)

I want to thank all the elders who helped in their special way to prepare for the brief return of old masks from museums in this country and abroad. In my travels to various villages in the Yukon-Kuskokwim delta searching for information on traditional mask use and ceremony, old men and women welcomed me into their homes with kindness, food, and shelter. As I listened to these wonderful and gentle elders tell of their brief experience with mask ceremonies and their work among the Yupiit in depth, I knew they were expressing traditional paradigms. The ways of their ancestors were expressed freely, without shame or remorse, as evident in their tales of the angalkut [shamans] who were candidly spoken about.

At this time I want to thank the elders I spoke with directly: Mary Mike, Justina Mike, Jasper Louise, and Johnny Thompson from St. Marys; Alma Keyes, Cecilia Foxie, Pauline Akaran, and Willie Kamkoff from Kotlik; Kay Hendrickson, Dick Andrew, and Fannie Wasky from Bethel; Nickolia Berlin and Natalia White from Nunapitchuk; Martha Mann, Julia Azean, Charlie David, and Elena Phillip from Kongiganak; Joseph Evan from Napaskiak; Harry Wesley, and Robert and Edna Kolerak from Mekoryuk; Joseph Tulik, Angelina Ulroan, and Mary Friday from Chevak; Frank Andrew from Kwigillingok; and Elsie Tommy from Newtok. I also want to thank those elders who have passed on since I talked with them, including Andy Kinzy from St. Marys, Mary Worm from Kongiganak, and William Tyson from Anchorage.