Dance, Tradition and Power among Alaskan Eskimos

Lead Research Organisation: University of Aberdeen
Department Name: Sch of Social Science

Abstract

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Description This project examined the social and cultural dynamics of Eskimo dance in two Alaskan Eskimo communities-Yupiget on St. Lawrence Island and Iñupiat in Barrow. Contemporary Alaskan Eskimos have an intriguing enthusiasm for performing and watching traditional dance, which is proudly distinguished from Western styles of dance (e.g. ballroom, disco, and ballet). Conservatism in styles and forms have resulted in remarkable continuity with dance practices stretching to the earliest descriptions from generations past. Yet, the meaning and context of dance performances have been dramatically transformed in the past century. While contemporary Yupiget on St. Lawrence Island use Eskimo dance for entertainment in daily life and in their annual celebrations, Iñupiat in the North Slope town of Barrow emphasize the 'ancient' aspect of their tradition as a marker of their collective ethnic and cultural identity as a minority in broader, national and global multi-ethnic spheres. We pursued the multifaceted significance of Eskimo dance that lies at the heart of social relations, being a person, and knowing all kinds of skills (not just dancing) among contemporary Eskimos and how Eskimo dance as traditional activity is connected to cultural politics affected by local socio-economic and political situations. Despite many similarities in form, meaning and use of dancing, contemporary Yupiget and Iñupiat interpret the roles of Eskimo dance differently. In the past 40 years, the two Eskimo communities made different decisions on economic development, which are associated with contrasting patterns of political and cultural attitudes. St. Lawrence Islanders have declined economic opportunities in favour of greater control over their land. They have foregone cash payments or development opportunities in order to protect their subsistence resources, which continue to provide for most of their diet. Iñupiat in Barrow, on the other hand, have made tremendous efforts to balance economic development through oil exploration and taxation of industrial development, with protection of subsistence hunting. As many Iñupiat work in office jobs, hunting and whaling for them have become more seasonal rituals and markers of connection to cultural tradition and ethnic identity than for Yupiget. Iñupiaq traditions, such as dance, have become important means of demonstrating the coherence and validity of Iñupiaq ethnic identity to insiders and outsiders. The political and economic struggles of oil development and whaling seem to be connected, at least implicitly, with a greater institutionalization of Eskimo dance performance in Barrow through five dance troupes with formal memberships in the community. Each dance troupe has a flag and uniformed regalia, and practices several times a week. Once every two years, Iñupiat spend a quarter million dollars to organize a large regional dance festival. Symbols of tradition are not so important politically on St. Lawrence Island, which also has one of the highest rates of heritage language retention in all of Alaska. Unlike other Alaskan Eskimo communities, the Islanders do not have a dance troupe with formal membership. They do not organize any cultural festivals and hardly participate in regional and state-wide indigenous cultural festivals centring on Eskimo dance is at the centre. For Yupiget, Eskimo dance seems to be an activity for people who particularly enjoy it as part of daily life. The political salience of tradition in Barrow is coupled with a formalized understanding of Eskimo dance and song, where learning the old forms is valued in some ways more than innovating new things within a traditional style. On St. Lawrence Island, however, traditional dance and song seems to be understood more as a style or way of doing things, and people seem to spend less time memorizing 'old songs' or replicating dances of elders than in cultivating new forms of singing and dancing which are nonetheless recognized as 'traditional' in style, i.e., as 'Eskimo'. In both cases, we found that dancing lies at the heart of social relationships, and can be used to generate new relationships as well as to continue and intensify existing ones, from kin relations to political or trading partners to lovers. Eskimo people's perception of good performers does not necessarily relate to skill or technique. They rather value individuals who contribute to the sense of community among performers and audience. Furthermore, from both insiders' and outsiders' perspectives, Eskimo dancers are often recognized as leaders who are knowledgeable about ancestral dance and song, language, legends, gender roles, and subsistence activities. Good dancers are also considered to be models for avoiding alcohol or drug abuse. We found that contemporary Eskimo dance epitomized Eskimo perception of health, well-being, and propriety in society today. Eskimo dance continues to hold considerable caché with youth, and famous dancers and/or ensembles were often described as 'cool' by children and teens. While not a proxy for other sorts of social intervention or counselling, our conclusions point to the importance of dancing among Alaskan Eskimos for providing an open venue where generations can interact, everyone can gain esteem and respect, and where individuals enjoy a sense of purpose and self-worth. Eskimo dancing is thus a positive aspect of language revival efforts in many communities and could come to play a larger role in social revival programmes, as well.
Exploitation Route Others are looking at ways creative expression, such as dance, is related to economic and spiritual aspects of social life among indigenous people of North America and NE Asia.
Sectors Agriculture

Food and Drink

Communities and Social Services/Policy

Creative Economy

Education

Government

Democracy and Justice

Culture

Heritage

Museums and Collections
 
Description The experience gained by the Research Assistant, Hiroko Ikuta, was instrumental in her securing a permanent job with the State of Alaska Department of Fish & Game as an anthropologist specializing in subsistence issues. Human-animal relations are an integral part of Alaskan Eskimo dance and tie in to subsistence issues more generally.
First Year Of Impact 2011
Sector Agriculture, Food and Drink,Communities and Social Services/Policy,Government, Democracy and Justice
Impact Types Policy & public services
 
Description Is singing Eskimo songs learning an endangered language? : language retentions and Eskimo dance in Alaska 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Primary Audience
Results and Impact 45-minute presentation as part of larger workshop on linguistic anthropology. This paper explores the relationship between indigenous language retention and the importance of indigenous singing songs among young Alaskan Eskimo youth. I first discuss overview of Eskimo language retention in Alaska. I, then, explorer importance of indigenous songs and dance activities among Iñupiaq youth in Barrow who do not speak the ancestral language. I argue that as indigenous language retention declines, the value of expressive aspects of culture tends to increase.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2009
 
Description Truncated multilingualism : St. Lawrence Island Yupik and Inupiaq Eskimo languages 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Primary Audience
Results and Impact 45-minute seminar presentation at University of Jyvaskyla, Finland as part of workshop on linguistic anthropology. This paper closely looks at two language communities, St. Lawrence Island Yupik and Iñupiaq in Barrow in Alaska, and their language uses and practices. In the post colonial period, the two communities made significantly different decisions regarding socio-economic and political spheres, which results in contrasting economic situations, attitudes toward their own traditions, and language retentions.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2009