Cultural values, coping, and hope in Yup'ik communities facing rapid cultural change

Abstract

Historical trauma and rapid cultural change contribute to a high burden of stress in Alaska Native communities. The goal of the Yup'ik Experiences of Stress and Coping Project was to better understand stress and coping in Yup'ik communities and the role of cultural values and practices in coping. Sixty Yup'ik adults aged 18–84 years took part in semistructured interviews. They discussed how they coped with salient stressful experiences and shared the things that bought them hope and peace. Interview themes were identified and inter‐relationships between themes were explored through social network analysis. Participants discussed the importance of cultural traditions in coping, including subsistence, dancing and drumming, intergenerational transmission of knowledge, and reflective awareness of interconnections with others. Participants found strength in family relationships, spirituality, helping others, and coming together as a community. Three coping clusters emerged: Ilaliurucaraq (be welcoming) involved opening one's frame of mind and building connections; Yuuyaraq (Yup'ik way of life) focused on Yup'ik traditions and values; and Assircaarturluni Yuuyaraq (try to live a better life) involved healing from historical trauma. Findings illustrate the resilience and evolving strengths of rural Yup'ik communities facing a continually changing cultural landscape and provide information for developing community‐driven culturally based interventions.

Healthy ageing in the far North: perspectives and prescriptions

“…Crosstheme analysis included categorising statements into each theme they supported where several main and minor themes emerged. It was common that statements made from our participants endorsed more than one theme and were therefore included in each grouping [32,33]. Major themes are those that were endorsed by half or more of our participants, minor themes were discussed by multiple participants but did not meet the 50% threshold.…”

Hope and culture: Relationships and implications for research, clinical and organizational practices

“…The influence of the symbolic and spiritual dimensions of culture are still predominant in a group's mentality. A contemporary study conducted with Alaska Native communities by Rivkin et al (2019) demonstrated how positive cultural values, traditions, and practices can have a beneficial impact on stress and coping. Among the cultural elements identified by this group of researchers and that positively influenced coping were subsistence, dancing and drumming, intergenerational transmission of knowledge, and reflective awareness of interconnections with others.…”

Alaska Native successful ageing in Northwest Alaska: how family impacts how one ages in a good way

“…Approximately the size of West Virginia, the sub-region population was recorded at just 2,304 people between five communities [ 17 ], all of which we visited to conduct this study. Over 80% of the five communities are AN, made up primarily of Inupiaq and Central Yup’ik cultural and linguistic groups with unique and partially overlapping cultural practices and traditions [ 18–20 ]. Approximately 160 years ago, a group of Inupiat migrated south into the traditionally Yup’ik territory to escape famine and epidemic [ 21 , 22 ].…”