BSSD Heritage Languages

On this site, you will find resources for teaching and/or integrating the indigenous languages of our school district. There are three distinct languages: Akuzipik (St. Lawrence Island Yupik, sometimes called Siberian Yupik), Inupiaq, and Central Yup'ik.

Akuzipik is spoken on Sivuqaq (St. Lawrence Island) in the communities of Sivuqaq (Gambell) and Sivungaq (Savoonga.) Central Yup'ik is spoken in the communities of Tapraq (Stebbins), Taciq (St. Michael) where Yup'ik is the dominant language. The Tapraq dialect is considered one of the farthest north Yup'ik dialects. The Unaliq dialect of Central Yup'ik is spoken in the communities of Neviarcaurluq (Elim), Chinik (Golovin) and Uŋalaqłiq (Unalakleet), which also have Inupiaq speakers. In these communities, the Inupiaq population is half or greater. Of the Inupiaq dialects, there are many variations. Most communities have at least two distinct dialects, but those dialects are also spread across multiple communities. The Qawiaraq dialect spans most of the district, including Iġaluniaġvik (Teller) through Uŋalaqłiq (Unalakleet). Natchirsvik (White Mountain) and Chinik (Golovin) use Iġałuik (Fish River) dialect, which would be considered a branch of Qawiaraq but has enough differences to note. Malimiut, spoken in Kuuyuk (Koyuk) and neighboring communities, is more closely related to the Northwest Arctic dialects, as the Malimiut came south to settle in this region. The dialect of Iŋaliq (Diomede) may be the oldest of Alaskan Inuit dialects, as they still use the "e" sound that is otherwise only found in the Yupik languages. Kigiqtaq (Shishmaref) seems to be the only dialect besides Ugiuvak (King Island, not part of BSSD) who uses "z" and "zr." Kiŋikmiut (Wales) and those in Sitaisaq (Brevig Mission) have more similarities between them than with the dialects of neighboring communities. The vast differences within and between villages in even the most basic words makes it particularly tough to develop district-wide resources in the heritage languages. The fact that these distinctions carried through shows the strength and multi-lingual nature of individuals and communities in the Bering Strait.

Generally speaking, the adults of Sivuqaq in their mid-20s and older spoke only Akuzipik until entering school. Adults of Sivuqaq are fluent and still use Akuzipik in the community, though the English presence is becoming more prevalent. Students in school now speak English as their first language and have varying fluency in Akuzipik. In the remaining communities of the school district, adults in their 70s (maybe some in their 60s and others in their 80s) spoke their heritage languages in the home but were required to use only English when they entered school. The Inupiaq and Yup'ik elders can still speak to each other in their heritage languages but generally use English predominantly. The students in school (and adults at least up to those in their early 50s) speak English only while using and understanding isolated words and phrases. Any use of heritage languages for adults and children under 50 generally comes from what they learned in school. The English spoken by the residents of all communities is heavily influenced by the grammatical structures of the heritage language even (maybe especially) when the heritage language is not fluently used.