In some instances a village may perform ceremonies throughout the year, but for individuals life is a continuous flow built upon levels of responsibility. Customs may vary between villages, but the increasing expectation of responsibility continues throughout ones life. At puberty a youth may be sent to an elder for a year of training. Inupiaq women are not part of an urban underclass. The majority have stable incomes from employment or craft production and are homeowners.
Many Inupiaq people introduce themselves, naming their parents and village.
This becomes the initial opportunity to understand the unique background and family ties of a new person and a show of mutual respect. A person who is expressing grief and become tearful, it may not be appropriate to touch the distressed person. However, intimate customs will vary from village to village. Today many Inupiaqs hug in public openly, but nose kissing is reserved for the interaction between a mother and child. The Elders were the traditional teachers, and eventually were replaced by the U. S. Government via certified teachers.