Yup’ik Teaching Moment:
Calivika (cha-LEE-wee-kah) “My Workplace”
Presented by Calista Education & Culture, Inc.
Storyknife, November/December 2022 edition
The late Nancy Edwards (left) and Bertha Andrew (right) of Mekoryuk at fish camp on Nunivak Island. Photo: Calista Corporation / Sue Gamache.
Calista Education & Culture, Inc. (CECI) presents the Yup’ik Teaching Moment in our Storyknife newsletter. CECI highlights Yuuyaraq, the traditional/cultural way of being in our Region. This Yup’ik Teaching Moment is provided by CECI Cultural Advisor Mark John of Toksook Bay.
Our ancestors were very independent. Everything they had, they caught, gathered and made into food, clothing, shelter and equipment for everything they do.
Nature provided our ancestors with all they needed. They had no stores to go to or businesses to have things done for them, so everyone had to be a “Jack of All Trades.”
From the time children were able to use their arms and legs, their parents or grandparents asked them to do things they can handle. They develop the use of their body. This prepared them early on to learn and grow as they became older and stronger.
Calivika [cha-LEE-wee-kah] is Yup’ik for “My Workplace.”
The parents and grandparents taught both the boys and the girls what they know so they can start taking on the production of hunting and fishing equipment, household needs, and clothing and food.
The idea was to teach the children so they can take over the work from their parents.
If a young person saw an Elder about to do the dishes, the youth would say aqumluten [ah-GOOM-loo-den] “sit down” so that they can take over, or pinauqa [bin-OW-guh] which translates to “let me do it.”
Many in the villages still enjoy the opportunity to have nature provide for them, and at the same time, make use of what the western world brings. We have stores and businesses to buy the goods and services we need and like. It helps us go about our daily lives.
Today we are fortunate to have some of our own relatives and corporations that have their own businesses. They have their own “workplace” or calivik. We are proud of all of them. Quyana.
Calivika ellametuq nerengnaqaaqama cali neqliuraqaama is “My workplace is outside when I am trying to get food and when I am working on food to eat” in Yup’ik.
The Calivika Shareholder Directory is available to Calista Corporation Shareholders, Descendants and their spouses to feature their businesses. It’s easy to view and submit listings with your smartphone.