However, a direct request for assistance would be improper. People are not always able to provide help. Thus, making a n eed known is usually done indirectly. Additionally, reciprocity is a long-term matter. It i s the incompleteness and mutual dependency in the relationship which keeps it going.
Mutual aid is a complex and dynamic process.
Anchorage Inupiat engaged in reciprocal relations need to protect each other' s privacy from unwelcome outsiders. At the same time, they preserve a comfortable informality in sharing relationships. This latter inclusiveness denies Western conventions about households as privatized, self-sufficient domains. To a busy Euro-American, mutual support can seem inefficient. The sociability involved requires substantial blocks of time.