Don’t Use Your Mind

The Discursive Production of Traditional Knowledge in Yup’ik Subsistence Narratives in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta

Join CLA for an insightful academic event as Kelsey Sisk presents their MA thesis defense, titled “Don’t Use Your Mind: The Discursive Production of Traditional Knowledge in Yup’ik Subsistence Narratives in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta.” This research delves into the ways in which Yup’ik storytellers communicate traditional knowledge through conversational narratives in Southwest Alaska Regional English (SWARE), offering a compelling exploration of Indigenous linguistic expression.

Sisk’s research applies discourse analysis to personal experience narratives shared by Yup’ik subsistence experts in two southwestern Alaska communities. Through the study of subsistence chronotopes—configurations of space and time in discourse—, transposition, and onomatopoeia, the thesis uncovers how cultural knowledge is deeply embedded in everyday language. The findings highlight how SWARE serves as a powerful lens for understanding Indigenous epistemologies and emphasize the significance of regional linguistic variation in anthropological research. This defense offers an opportunity for scholars, students, and community members to engage with cutting-edge linguistic anthropology. By attending, you will gain a deeper appreciation for how language serves as a vessel for cultural continuity and adaptation.

The UAF Department of Anthropology is dedicated to studying the human experience through research, education, and community engagement, with a strong focus on the circumpolar North. The department provides interdisciplinary programs in cultural, biological, and linguistic anthropology, as well as archaeology, offering students hands-on learning opportunities and fieldwork experiences. Faculty and students collaborate on groundbreaking research that contributes valuable insights into Indigenous knowledge, human adaptation, and social change.