Alaska Native communities shoulder a disproportionately high burden of stress, stemming in part from historical trauma and rapid changes in culture and lifestyle. The Yup'ik Experiences of Stress and Coping Project originated from rural Yup'ik communities' concerns about stress and its effects. Understanding local conceptions of stress as grounded in the experiences and perceptions of the Yup'ik community participants is critical to inform culturally‐based interventions. Sixty adults in two Yup'ik communities in Southwest Alaska participated in semi‐structured interviews exploring their understanding and experience of stress and coping. Participants' understanding of stress included causes of stress, stressful experiences, responses to stress (emotions, physical responses, trouble in the mind), and broader family and community effects of stress. Many described current stressors as being quite different than those of the past. Findings highlight the intersection between traditional ways of thinking about stress and Western influences in remote Yup'ik communities undergoing cultural changes.