Inu-Yupiaq

Inu-Yupiaq Dancing, is a unique way of passing on the Inupiat and Yup’ik Eskimo motion dance stories to a younger generation, which teaches people about the Iñupiaq and Yup’ik Eskimo culture. Inu-Yupiaq is a very unusual, diverse dance group which combines Inupiaq, Cupik, Siberian-Yup’ik and Yup’ik Eskimo motion dancing from all around Alaska which our dancers represent as student attending University of Alaska, Fairbanks.

The Inu-Yupiaq Dance Group was formed in the year of 1995. Many of the songs and dances are either presented to the group, traded, or the members create new modern (yet traditional) songs. With this, many songs are many generations old, or as young as a few weeks.

Eskimo Songs in Brief

Eskimo songs are sung with voices and circular drums. These drums can be made with wood, ivory, antler, a sea mammal's stomach or bladder, parachute material, or non-rip nylon. Iñupiaq and Yup’ik Eskimo songs and dancers are similar, but have their differences.

Iñupiaq Eskimo songs are usually consisted of two or three parts, usually song together. The first part is sung with a soft drum beat. The second part is sung same as the first, but with a harder drum beat. The third (if any), is the same as the second, but with no voices sung, just the drum beat.

Yup'ik Eskimo songs are more complex and longer. Here is a diagram of a typical Yup'ik Eskimo song.

    Mengluni [meng loony] or Ciuqlia [Jew q ła] (The Beginning)
       A - Voice and soft drum beat
       h - Very similar to A, but a harder drum beat

    Apallum  Ciuqlia [ab aa łoom Jew q ła] (The first verse)
       B - This is modernly called the verse.  This is slightly different than A and h, but continues the story of the song.
       h - Same as 'h' above
       ds - Drum Solo

    Akuli (a goo lee] (In between)
       A - Same as 'A' above
       h - Same as 'h' above
       ds - Drum Solo

    Apallum Kinguqlia [ab aa łoom king oo q łia (The second versel)
       C - Similar to B, but continues the story after B.
       h - Same as 'h' above
       ds - Drum Solo

    Pamyua [bum yoa] (Ending, or it's tail)
       C - Same as 'A' above.
       h - Same as 'h' above
       ds - Drum Solo

Some Yup'ik songs are constructed with only the Mengluni, Akuli, and Pamyua. Also, shorter Yup'ik songs are constructed with only the Mengluni and Pamyua.

All Eskimo songs tell stories with songs and dances.

External links