Velma Wallis

This is an old Athabaskan story. The Athabaskans are a native people living in the far north interior of Alaska, close to and above the Arctic Circle. A grandmother of the Gwich’in people of the Athabaskan tells it to her granddaughter.

With early fall snow, there was a time of great hunger and the band was having no luck in their hunting. The council decide to leave two elderly women behind although this was a heavy sorrow to many of the band, including the daughter and grandson of one of the women. The two elder women, Ch’idzigyaak and Sa are stunned by the decision which they had no part in making.

As the band of people leave, Ch’idzigyaak’s daughter sneaks her a bundle of thongs; her young grandson gives her a bone hatchet which he has made.

The old women cry as the band leaves. However, deep in their stunned sorrow, Ch’idzigyaak decides that if they must die, it is better to die trying. She and Sa fashion rabbit snares and then crude snowshoes. Slowly they remember their old skills and decide to try to make it to the site of a fish camp they remembered from better years.

It’s a story of perseverance, of not giving up even in the face of death. It’s a story of the elders’ wisdom gained by their years of experience. And ultimately, it’s a story of love.

At only 140 pages, it’s a very short book, but this native author knows how to pack much into few words. I’m eager to read more by her.… (mere)