Mythologies of the Naukan People

Naukan Yupik is the native tongue of a meagre 50 people living mostly in Lavrentiya, Siberia, but who originally hail from the village of Naukan, East Cape, Siberia, across the Bering Strait from Alaska’s Seward Peninsula. It is also spoken by a small handful of people living on the Chukchi Peninsula, the northeastern extremity of Asia, making a total of 70 people worldwide who are privy to this language. Despite the group’s paltry size, the lexicon of this language was first documented long ago – all the way back in 1732. Though only spoken in Siberia, Naukan is a linguistic intermediate between two other languages: Central Siberian Yupik of St. Lawrence Island and Yup’ik Eskimo, a tongue exclusive to southwestern Alaska. On its evolutionary path lies a connection between these three languages that undoubtedly went in a northern arc through the East Cape, across the Bering Strait and the Seward Peninsula – an area with quite a substantial sea barrier, making it difficult for the indigenous people to navigate. Thus, Naukan is considered to be a third branch cast midway between the two. As a result, many local words have several meanings. For instance, pikna means anything from ‘that above’ to ‘back from the sea’ to ‘to the north’ – rendering it impossible to translate into a single, concise English word. Until today, it is still undetermined whether Naukan is at heart a Siberian or an Alaskan language.

The Naukan, also known as the Naukanski, are a Siberian Yupik people and an Indigenous people of Siberia. They live in the Chukotka Autonomous Region of eastern Russia. The Naukan Yupik language is a Yupik language, belonging to the Eskimo–Aleut languages. Many Naukan people now speak the Chukchi language. Traditionally Naukan people hunted sea mammals. Guests traveled from remote settlements to participate in pol'a', the month-long Naukan whale festival. Archaeological evidence places the Naukan on the Chukotka Peninsula off the Bering Sea back 2,000 years. They used to live on Big Diomede Island and Cape Dezhnev in the Bering Strait. The Soviet Union relocated Naukan people from their traditional coastal village of Naukan in 1958. They now reside in the indigenous village of Lorino.

Naukan (Naukan: Nuvuqaq; Russian: Наукан, Yupik: нывукак "Soddy", Nuvuqaq, Inupiaq: Nuuġaq) is a deserted Yupik village on Cape Dezhnev, Russia. Prior to 1958, it was the easternmost settlement in the Eurasian continent. This distinction is now held by the Russian village Uelen in the Chukotsky District. Naukan was founded in the 14th century. In 1648, Semyon Dezhnev reached Naukan, which is commemorated by a monument bust located on Mount Ingegruk. Other monuments situated in Naukan include a wooden cross built in 1910 at the lighthouse and a monument by the architect B. K. Semenenko built in 1956. The settlement was disbanded in 1958 as part of an enlargement campaign in rural areas. Those living there were Yupik Inuit who spoke Naukan. Before the eviction of the indigenous people occurred, approximately 400 people lived in the village. The eviction of the inhabitants took place in 1954 with the objective of a possible military confrontation with the United States. The eviction formally ended on November 20, 1958. The Naukan people were relocated, being partially settled in Chukchi, or moved to places with other Siberian Yupiks. Most of the Naukan people were relocated to the village of Nunyamo, which no longer exists. Today, there are Naukan families living in Chukchi settlements, such as Uelen, Lavrentiya, and Lorino; Siberian Yupik villages, such as Chaplino, Sireniki, and Uelkal; and in the cities of Anadyr, Magadan, and Vologda.

The Naukans, also known as the Naukanski, are a Siberian Yupik tribe and an indigenous people of Siberia. They live in the Chukotka Autonomous Region in eastern Russia. Naukan Yupik is a Yupik language belonging to the Eskimo-Aleut language family. Today, most of the Naukan people speak the Chukchi language. Traditionally, the Naukan hunted marine mammals. Guests have traveled from remote areas to participate in the month-long Whale Festival of Naukan, 'Pola'. Archaeological evidence suggests that Naukan, located on the Chukotka Peninsula off the Bering Sea, dates back 2,000 years. They once lived on Big Diomede Island and Cape Dezhnev in the Bering Strait. In 1958, the Soviet Union displaced the Naukan people from the traditional coastal village of Naukan. They now live in the indigenous village of Lorino. Yaranga, conical tent made of reindeer skin Yupik language of Central Siberia Sirenik Yupik Yupik tribe a few indigenous peoples of the north, Siberia, and the Far East.

Naukan Yupik language or Naukan Siberian Yupik language (Naukan Yupik: Нывуӄаӷмистун; Nuvuqaghmiistun) is a critically endangered Eskimo language spoken by c. 70 Naukan persons (нывуӄаӷмит) on the Chukotka peninsula. It is one of the four Yupik languages, along with Central Siberian Yupik, Central Alaskan Yup'ik and Pacific Gulf Yupik. Linguistically, it is intermediate between Central Siberian Yupik and Central Alaskan Yup'ik. The non-possessed endings in the chart may cause a base-final 'weak' ʀ to drop with compensatory gemination in Inu. Initial m reflects the singular relative marker. The forms with initial n (k or t) are combined to produce possessed oblique with the corresponding absolutive endings in the 3rd person case but with variants of the relative endings for the other persons. In proto-Eskimo, the ŋ is often dropped within morphemes except when next to ə. ŋ is also dropped under productive velar dropping (the dropping of ɣ,ʀ, and ŋ between single vowels), and "ana" goes to "ii" in these areas.

The Naukan Yupik are an Eskimo people who live in northeast Siberia along the Bering Sea. They make their living by fishing salmon and harvesting sea mammals like seals, walruses and whales. There is archeological evidence that shows that they have lived this way for thousands of years. Slowly the modern world is changing the Naukan Yupik's lives. Snowmobiles are replacing dogsleds and their cone shaped tents are giving way to modern homes with electricity and diesel oil. High-powered rifles are used to hunt animals rather than spears and harpoons. Russian is becoming the primary language of the Naukan Yupik. The Naukan Yupik language is seriously endangered. There are only about 70 living speakers, all over 40 years old. Unless drastic measures are taken, in a few years the Naukan Yupik language will become another one of the dead languages of Siberia. The Naukan Yupik live in the Russian Far East along the Bering Sea. The Naukan Yupik still live a semi-nomadic lifestyle following the salmon and sea mammals. Some of them who do not live on the immediate coast raise caribou. These Yupik migrate along with their caribou herds. Most of the Yupik's diet consists of meat, blubber, fish and whatever berries and edible plants they can gather during Siberia's short summers. They are also now able to trade their surplus of salmon and animal skins for necessities like canned goods, electricity and diesel oil for heating their homes in the long, very cold winters. Village elders make the important decisions and for the people. Most Yupik consult a shaman before seeking out modern medical help.