{"product_id":"raising-ourselves-a-gwichin-coming-of-age-story-from-the-yukon-river-alaska-book-adventures-epicenter-press","title":"Raising Ourselves: A Gwich'in Coming of Age Story from the Yukon River (Alaska Book Adventures (Epicenter Press))","description":"Born in 1960, the sixth of thirteen children, Velma Wallis comes of age in a two-room log cabin in remote Fort Yukon, Alaska. Life is defined by the business of living off the land. Chopping wood. Hauling water from the river. Hunting moose. Catching salmon. Traping fur. Taking care of the dogs. For a thousand years, the Gwich'in clan had followed migratory animals across the north. But two generations before, the people had settled where the Porcupine River flows into the Yukon. Now, the Wallis family has a post office box and an account at the general store, and Velma listens to Wolf Man Jack on armed forces radio. The author discovers that her people have surrendered their language, traditional values, and religion to white teachers, traders, and missionaries. Flu epidemics have claimed many loved ones. Village elders seem like strangers from another land, and in a way they are. There is much drinking when the monthly government checks come, and that is when the pain comes out of hiding. RAISING OURSELVES is a gritty, sobering, yet irresistible story filled with laughter even as generations of Gwich'in grief seeps from past to present. But hope pushes back hopelessness, and a new strength and wisdom emerge.\u003cbr\u003eASIN: 0970849303\u003cbr\u003eVSKU: DBV.0970849303.G\u003cbr\u003eCondition: Good\u003cbr\u003eAuthor\/Artist:Wallis, Velma|Grant, James L\u003cbr\u003eBinding: Hardcover\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eNote:\u003c\/b\u003e Any images shown are stock photographs and product may differ from what is shown.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eCondition Notes\u003c\/b\u003e: Gently used with minimal wear on the corners and cover. A few pages may contain light highlighting or writing, but the text remains fully legible. Dust jacket may be missing, and supplemental materials like CDs or codes may not be included. May be ex-library with library markings. Ships promptly!  \u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Dream Books Co.","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":41445315182650,"sku":"DBV.0970849303.G","price":4.69,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0555\/6011\/0138\/files\/0970849303-0.jpg?v=1780692903","url":"https:\/\/shop.dreambooksco.com\/products\/raising-ourselves-a-gwichin-coming-of-age-story-from-the-yukon-river-alaska-book-adventures-epicenter-press","provider":"Dream Books Co.","version":"1.0","type":"link"}