About Qayaqs

(Delta Discovery)

Qayaqs, now known as kyaks, were used by the Yup'ik Eskimos of Southwest Alaska. The Qayaq is a symbol of the Yup'ik culture. It symbolizes the significance of subsistence and using the surrounding resources to survive. This vessel also represents the intellegence and ingenuity of the Yup'ik people developing and designing a water craft that was swift, quiet, and could withstand harsh water turbulence.

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They were used as a mode of transportation for subsistence hunting and gathering. They were also a symbol of importance in society. "...it was the basis among men for obtaining wealth and women" (Zimmerly, 40). Wealth was measured on the ammount of goods a man could give away, indicating he was a successful hunter. In turn, because this hunter had a qayaq, he had to be skillful in manuvering the qayaq and hunting which gave him status in the community. This would be equivalent to a man owning his own vehicle and having a good job (Zimmerly, 40).