sentences:  Among the Yup'ik of southwestern Alaska, societies (regional or socioterritorial groups), like those of the Iñupiat of northwestern Alaska, were differentiated by territory, speech patterns, clothing details, annual cycles, and ceremonial life.Prior to and during the mid-19th century, the time of Russian exploration and presence in the area, the Yupiit were organized into at least twelve, and perhaps as many as twenty, territorially distinct regional or socioterritorial groups (their native names will generally be found ending in "-miut" postbase which signifies "inhabitants of ..." tied together by kinship — hence the Yup'ik word "tungelquqellriit", meaning "those who share ancestors (are related)".These groups included