For generations, Yup'ik women have gathered for "throwing parties" in the coastal villages of Western Alaska to celebrate firsts (like the first seal caught by a young family member). In late April, a ...

Also known as “seal parties,” the tradition brings women together to mark first catches and — more recently — other achievements as well. In some Alaska villages, hunting and fishing season starts ...

Traditionally, throughout many Indigenous coastal communities in Western Alaska, when a young family member hunts their first seal of the season, their family hosts a party to distribute that fresh ...

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