Kayak stanchions or kayak cockpit stanchions ("ayapervik" sg "ayaperviik" dual "ayaperviit" pl or "ayaperyaraq" sg "ayaperyarat" pl in Yup'ik and Cup'ik, "ayaperwig" in Cup'ig) are top piece centered at side of coaming and used as a support as one climbs out of a kayak. They prevented the person from falling while getting in and out of the kayak. All kayaks had ayaperviik on them. This one has a woman's frowning face with a down-turned mouth carved on it. Perhaps the other side would have a man's smiling face carved on it.