In indigenous cultures, elders serve as a bridge across time: they are connected to the past, they live in the present, and they offer wisdom for the future. In these fascinating biographical essays, twelve First Nation and Native American elders share stories from their lives and tell what it was like to live in a time before television, cell phones, or video games. Their stories explain how their humble childhoods shaped the adults they became and the lessons they share as elders.

All of the elders profiled here work to ensure that their Native culture is passed down to members of their tribe. Whether through language lessons, ceremonies, or their ways of life, elders unlock the past and bring it to the present.

Settle in with this book and “listen” to the stories of these elders’ lives. As you take in their history, you just might gain wisdom that could make a difference in your own life.

Featured elders:

La Donna Harris Comanche
Ernest Siva Morongo
Jacqueline Guest Métis
Percy Henry Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in
Nella Heredia Cahuilla
Jim Northrup Anishinaabe/Ojibwe
Judy Gingell Kwanlin Dun
Christine Jack Xwisten
Mark Bellcourt Ojibwa
Bert Crowfoot Siksika
Louva Dahozy Navajo
Faith Davison Mohegan

A glossary of terms found in the chapters is included, along with resources for discovering more information about each elder.