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 and video games. Their stories explain how their humble childhoods shaped the adults they became and the lessons they share as elders. All the elders profiled work to ensure that their Native culture is passed down to members of their tribe.

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Kim Sigafus is an internationally-published, award-winning Ojibwa author and speaker. Her Ojibwa name, “Bekaadiziikwe” means, “Quiet Woman.” In her spare time, she crafts Talking Feathers and Dream Catchers, which she carries in her store. She is the owner of Quiet Souls, A Native Inspired Gift Shop in Freeport, IL.