Marie Meade facts for kids

Marie Arnaq Meade, born in 1947, is a special teacher and expert in the Yup'ik culture. Her Yup'ik name, Arnaq, means "woman." She is known for sharing the traditions of her people. Marie also works with a group called the International Council of Thirteen Indigenous Grandmothers. She is also part of the Nunamta Yup'ik Dance Group. For over 20 years, Marie has been writing down the important knowledge of Yup'ik elders, including their values, language, and beliefs. Today, she teaches at the University of Alaska Anchorage.

Early Life and Education

Marie Meade grew up in a small village called Nunapiciaq, which had about 300 people. This village is located between the Kuskokwim River and the Bering Sea. She learned the Yup'ik language and culture from her parents, Upayuilnguq and Narullgiar, and from everyone in her community. Her parents were strict, and there was a chance she might have an arranged marriage, which she did not want.

Learning and Teaching Yup'ik

Marie went to the University of Alaska in Fairbanks. In 1970, her community chose her to teach the first bilingual program in Nunapiciaq village. This program was set up with the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Marie already spoke Yup'ik very well. However, she needed to learn how to read and write in Yup'ik. She learned these skills at the Alaska Native Language Institute in Fairbanks. After teaching for a year, she started working at the Yup'ik Language Workshop. There, she helped create lessons for teaching the Yup'ik language.

Family and Dance

Marie met her husband in Fairbanks. He was working there with the United States Army. They later moved to Bethel, where Marie taught Yup'ik at the Kushokwim Community College. Marie and her husband had two sons. While raising her children, she found the amazing energy of Yup'ik dance. Much of this dancing had been stopped by missionaries in the 1960s. Marie now has three grown sons and many grandchildren.

Documenting Yup'ik Culture

In 1990, Marie was a speaker at an international meeting in Fairbanks. An expert on cultures, Ann Fienup-Riordan, was at this meeting. This started a partnership between Marie and Ann that lasted for 20 years. They worked together to record the Yup'ik culture, language, and traditions.

Working with Ann Fienup-Riordan

Marie and Ann Fienup-Riordan worked on many projects together. They created cultural exhibits and found Yup'ik items in Berlin. These items had been collected from Alaska in 1883. They also worked together on translating important Yup'ik texts.

Sharing Yup'ik Art and Stories

Marie and Fienup-Riordan created a special show called "Agayuliyaraput." This show displayed beautiful Yup'ik masks. The exhibition first opened in 1997 in Toksook Bay. It was then shown in other cities like Anchorage, New York, Washington, D.C., and Seattle. For their work on the Berlin items at the Ethnologisches Museum, Marie translated conversations with Yup'ik elders. She also worked on a book called Ciuliamta Aklui, Things of Our Ancestors. This book shares the art and words of the Yup'ik elders. Her translations were praised for being very accurate and clear.

Awards and Recognition

In 2002, Marie Meade received the Governor's Award for Distinguished Humanities Educator. This award recognized her excellent work in teaching about the humanities. In 2015, Marie was added to the Alaska Women's Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame honored her for her great achievements in teaching the Yup'ik language and culture.