US Yup'ik Nation Dance Fan: "Tegumiak"

This is a US Yup'ik People dance fan called a "tegumiak." The Yup'ik live in Alaska, USA. They were traditionally nomadic, following the seasons and food sources.

Annual gatherings called potlatches were held in the “qasgiq,” a community sod house used for dancing and shelter for the men. Dancing is a communal activity in Yup’ik tradition. Dances tell stories of past hunting and fishing trips, hanging and cutting fish, dreams that a person envisioned or many other everyday activities and occurrences.

Yup’ik dancing, itself, is characterized by the use of dance fans. Hand-held fans accentuate the fluid movements of a dancer’s arms. They were used in traditional winter ceremonies and continue as part of contemporary Yup’ik dance regalia. Yup’ik women use dance fans made of woven grass and caribou whiskers or feathers, while Yup’ik men use a ring-style dance fan made of wood and feathers.
Source:
http://fna.community.uaf.edu/alaska-native-cultures/yup’ik/
http://alaska.si.edu/record.asp?id=216