Far more than just a dance, the dynamic choreography of the Yupa??ik provides an illuminating window into the morality, social organization, and colonial history of this indigenous people. In Yupiit Yurayarait, anthropologist Ann Fienup-Riordan begins with a brief historical overview of the colonization and development of Alaska from the Yup'ik point of view. Then, armed with oral history testimony spanning thirty years, she shows how singing and dancing are interconnected and imbued with meaning in this complex ritual. Accompanied by one hundred original photographs, this volume marks the first in-depth look at the Yupa??ik people through the lens of interpretive dance.