In Yup'ik, Ciuliqagtekaput is "Our Future Leaders." It is also the
namesake of an organization aimed at improving school readiness for
children in the remote villages of Akiachak, Akiak, and Tuluksak,
located near Bethel.
Federally funded through Alaska Native Education grants,
Ciuliqagtekaput cultivates intergenerational and early learning in
children ages birth to 3, developing literacy skills through
traditional dance, storytelling, and song. Throughout this process,
there is also a sense of reclaiming traditions and instilling
traditional Yup'ik values.
When a Yup'ik child reaches school age they not only have to meet the
requirements of No Child Left Behind, they must also be grounded in
culture-specific values, pride, practices, traditions, and subsistence
lifestyles.
"They are living in two worlds," said Sharon Anderson, Ciuliqagtekaput
director and grant administrator. "This can be challenging and
overwhelming for parents of young children, especially with a lack of
age and culturally-appropriate, bi-lingual materials."
Ciuliqagtekaput programs and projects
In Home Visits
This program provides parents with shared knowledge of strategies and
age-appropriate materials to encourage oral language development. Staff
employed from within the community visit the homes of families with
infants and toddlers each week. They work with the parents to share
activities and model interactive techniques for reading aloud and early
language development, reinforce the importance of daily reading, and
help families build libraries of quality children's literature by
distributing books provided through federal funding. Parents are
encouraged to use the language of the home in reading or telling the
story of a carefully chosen book.
Family Fun Nights
Monthly family meetings bring elders, parents and children together for
storytelling, songs, games, and more. A goal of the grant is to
incorporate the wisdom and teachings of the Elders who are extremely
valued as transmitters and translators of their culture. Parents have
high regard for their knowledge of child rearing, patience, learning
and language, history, health, safety, values, and the practices unique
to their way of life - critical to survival and for empowering children
to flourish in life.
Family Storytelling and Traditional Dance DVD Projects
Ciuliqagtekaput is capturing Elders and families on film relaying
stories and interacting with young children to compile into a DVD
resource for early learning. All families with young children were
invited to participate. Clips include a grandmother telling traditional
tales and sharing stories of her childhood; a mother singing with her
child, an entire family reading a favorite book in English, and a
grandfather sharing an English-language book in Yupik. The
Ciuliqagtekaput Arts dance DVD will teach songs that incorporate
elements of everyday concepts (such as under-over) with traditional
dance movements. Both of these arts-based projects can grow and sustain
early language development in the language of the home and add to a
foundation for early literacy over time.
"Ciuliqagtekaput, Our Future Leaders, is committed to linking the
critically important elements of family interaction, culture, home
language, storytelling, traditional music and dance in supporting the
language and early literacy development of infants and toddlers," added
Anderson.
To find out more about Ciuliqagtekaput, contact Sharon Anderson,
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