A collection of short stories by Lower Kuskokwim School District elementary school students based on their interviews with Elders in their communities. The Yukon Kuskokwim Delta region of Alaska, where the Yup'ik and Cup'ik have lived for over ten thousand years, provides the background for this beautiful collection of Traditional Stories, Stories about Ways of Life, Subsistence Stories, Hunting Stories and Ghost Stories.

The Stories from the Past project was developed and implemented by Laura Jeane Story Schlapkohl, an Americorps*Vista Volunteer under the direction of Joan Hamilton, the Yupiit Piciryarait Museum Director-Curator during the spring of 2003. The Association of Village Council Presidents and the Yupiit Piciryarait Museum together supported the Stories from the Past Writing Competition.

Stories from the Past Writing Competition

The Stories from the Past Writing Competition began in January 2003 with the announcement to elementary schools throughout the Yukon Kuskokwim Delta Region that submissions to the competition would be accepted through April 1, 2003. The Stories from the Past Writing Competition required students to interview an Elder in their community, and to write a story based on the interview. Students were encouraged to write in both English and Yup'ik, adding to the language preservation aspects of the project. As of April 1, 2003 we received seventy entries from four schools to the Stories from the Past Writing Competition.

Schools who participated in Stories from the Past 2003
Akiuk Memorial School, Akiuk, Alaska
Chefornak School, Chefornak, Alaska
Kilbuck Elementary School, Bethel, Alaska
Kuinerramiut Elitnaurviat, Quinhagak, Alaska Grand Prize Best Collections of Stories
Teachers who participated in Stories from the Past 2003
April Blevins, Kilbuck Elementary School
Meg Gag, Akiuk Memorial School
Sherry Marousek, Kuinerramiut Elitnaurviat
Eric Pederson, Kuinerramiut Elitnaurviat
Nick Straw, Chefornak School
Students who participated in Stories from the Past 2003
Akiuk Memorial School
Danya Andrews, Interview with George Keene, Sr.
Grand Prize Individual Story Winner
Natasia Anvil, Interview with Lucy Kassel
Harry Berlin, Interview with Daniel Berlin, Jr.
Michael Berlin, Interview with Rhonda Berlin
Anastasia Brink, Interview with Lucy Brink
George Isaac, Interview with George Keene, St.
Renae Keene, Interview with Lena Keene
Michael Martin, Jr., Interview with Marie A. Charles
Sherry Oscar, Interview with Marie A. Charles and Molly Oscar
Harry Slim, Interview with Eddie Andrew
Sillufie Thomas, Jr., Interview with Cecil Active
Naomi White, Interview with Moses White, Sr.
Edward Wassillie, Interview with Dora Wassillie
Chefornak School
Janelle Kinegak, Interview with Eliza Fairbanks
Thomas Mael, Interview with Bob Tunuchuk
Bretina Agnus, Interview with Cyril Alexie
Vicki Wiseman, Interview with Josephine Wiseman
David Chagluak, Interview with Martina Chagluak
Dana Gerhart, Interview with Eliza Fairbanks
Kilbuck Elementary School
Emerie Fairbanks, Interview with Debbie Fairbanks
Santee McKay, Interview with Arleata Snell
Susan Dostert, Interview with Donna Carpenter
Max Fancher, Interview with Charlene Fancher
Whitney Walker, Interview with Debbie Walker
Avery Atti, Interview with Trevor Henderson
Delwen Samuelson, Interview with Abigail Samuelson
Randy Hanson, Interview with Abigail Samuelson
Dustin Hayden, Interview with Rafe Johnson
Sumo Walker, Interview with Shirley Lawson
Dylan Stanton, Interview with Mike Stanton
Jenny Klejka, Interview with Jackie Klejka
Leland Rogers, Interview with Ina Morgan
Trevor Henderson, Interview with Rose Henderson
Kendrick Lange, Interview with Jacquie Campbell
Elizabeth Turrentine, Interview with her aunt
Brooke Charlie, Interview with Tonya Charlie
Kathryn Medinger, Interview with Mary Kay Medinger
John Street, Interview with Teddy Street
Nancie Grifka, Interview with Clair Grifka
Henry Thorne, Interview with Ina Morgan
Cheryl George, Interview with Winnie Billy
Marissa Hunter, Interview with Mary Uttereyuk
Danielle Beaver, Interview with Susan Murphy
Kuinerramiut Elitnaurviat
Krystin Beebe, Interview with Paul Beebe
Charlene Church, Interview with Paul Beebe
Vera Cleveland, Interview with Paul Beebe
Zane Debilt, Interview with Louisa Britton
Travis Nick, Interview with Lousia Britton
Arthur Abalama, Interview with Annie Cleveland
Danny Abalama, Interview with Annie Cleveland
Christopher Mark Jr., Interview with Kenneth Cleveland
Michael Smith, Interview with Kenneth Cleveland
Lonry Strunk, Interview with Kenneth Cleveland
Robert Guest, Interview with Olinka Donahuk
Willie Nelon, Interview with Edith Evans
Lynn Church, Interview with Mary Ford
Christina Ford, Interview with Mary Ford
Olivia Guest, Interview with Mary Ford
Kendra Cleveland, Interview with Dora Green
Marcella Jones, Interview with Dora Green
Martin Roach II, Interview with Oscar Friendly
Kristy A. Mark, Interview with Annie Mark
Julius Henry, Interview with John Mark
Eric Brown, Interview with Henry Matthew
Brittany Andrew, Interview with Jakub and May Nelson
Carissa Cleveland, Interview with Jakub and May Nelson
Richard Cleveland, Interview with Jakub Nelson
Kera Foster, Interview with Carrie Pleasant
Jeffrey Matthew, Interview with Carrie Pleasant
Alicia Sharp, Interview with Carrie Pleasant

During the month of April, a committe of judges at the Yup'it Piciryarait Museum and Allen Joseph of AVCP selected the Grand Prize Best Collection of Stories and the Overall Individual Story Winner

Kuinerramiut Elitnaurviat of Quinhagak, Alaska was awarded the Grand Prize Best Collection of Stories.

Danya Iqvarta Andrews of Akiuk Memorial School was awarded as the Overall Individual Story Winner for her story "The Grandmother's Song".

On March 16, 2003 the local Bethel band Los Esposos played a free concert at the Museum as a fund raiser for Stories from the Past. This event, which nearly 70 people attended, raised funds for the Stories from the Past Writing Competition and Exhibit. The Bethel Lion's Club also donated to the Stories from the Past Writing Competition. The funds from the Museum Benefit Show and from the Lion's Club were used to put together the Stories from the Past Exhibit, and to pay for prizes for all of the students who participated. Every students who submitted a story to Stories from the Past received a medal of participation.

Trophies were awarded to the winning school and to the winning student Danya Andrews.

The Stories from the Past Exhibit opened at the Yupiit Piciryarait Museum on May 20, 2003. The Stories from the Past exhibit features every story received this year. Traditional Stories, stories about ways of life, subsistence stories and ghost stories decorated the museum walls. The Stories from the Past Exhibit also featured paintings by Bethel Regional High School art students. The high school art students, under direction of their teacher Jayne Hotaling, interviewed Elders in the community and created pieces inspired by their interviews.

The Stories from the Past project created opportunities for Elders to teach youth, strengthening the bond between generations. Students were given the chance, whether through writing or painting, to creatively express and preserve traditional knowledge. As part of a language and culture preservation project, the stories will remain at the Yupiit Piciryarait Museum and at libraries in the region fo

Twelve year old Timothy Azure, a half-blood Chippewa Indian, and his Sioux buddy, Joe Little Dog, spend their free time thinking up tricks to play on their friends Bobo and Lulu Olsen. They soon realize Bobo and Lulu are changing...for the worse. Eventually they drift apart for good.

Timothy enjoys running with his spirit horses that only he can see. On his birthday Dad and Grandfather give him a horse he names Chief. The spirit horses bid him a sad farewell, and he knows he is growing up and doesn't need their companionship anymore. He's concerned about alcoholism on the reservation. His dad was, and Joe's dad is, an alcoholic. When Joe's dad dies Timothy has a bad dream about the disease, and Grandfather says it's time for the sweat lodge and the vision quest ceremonies. This is where Timothy receives his Indian name, Little Eagle.

During a winter blizzard Joe steals Chief, so he can pretend for a little while Chief is his. Timothy, brother Kenny and Dad find Joe, who is trapped under a fallen log, leg broken. Timothy forgives him, knowing how lonely he is with no grandfather to bond with.

The day after New Years Grandfather passes on to the spirit world. Timothy goes to the sweat lodge to grieve, and hears Grandfather's voice in the wind, assuring him he'll always be with him. He determines to carry on the teachings and traditions he has learned from his beloved grandfather.

Sunday Morning at Momma's House is a book that celebrates the life of Ethel Lee Miller and one of many family traditions - Sunday morning breakfast. The story is told through the eyes of her granddaughter, eight-year old Robin Leigh.

The Miller family home was multi-family dwelling where Robin Leigh lived along with her grandmother, mother, and other family members. Momma, the family's guiding force, set the tone for everything that was done and for everyone who followed. Mealtime was the time of day where all the family gathered to share strong Christian and family values which was evident in all that she said and did.

Although the beautifully prepared breakfast, that featured everything from homemade rolls to country ham and every Southern comfort food in between, was a major part of the Sunday experience, Momma made sure that the most important factor was never forgotten - God's love. She always reminded her family of His provisions for her and the family made everyday special - not just Sunday!

Momma's place at the head of the table was a place of power and security and as she shared with the entire family how much they were blessed, she taught the family how to pray for those less fortunate. Then it was off to church for Robin Leigh where she soon began to anticipate "Momma's glorious Sunday dinner".

In JORDAN'S HAIR, Jordan is a four year old African-American in a white pre-school. He begins to ask his parents many questions such as why his hair and color are different, and how can he look like his friends. Through the help of his teacher, he realizes that being different is not a bad thing.

*Please note: If you want the audio CD or CD-ROM, please contact the author. Trafford does not supply these CDs.**

This is a 'must have' item for anyone interested in learning Halq'emeylem, and is useful model for language revitalization.

Holiday Time is a novel for children. Written in very simple and straight forward prose, the novel is sure to be enjoyed by children in senior primary and junior high school classes – the target audience. Chapters Eight and Nine are as instructive as they are entertaining. While children are amused and excited, they are also helped to develop adequate consciousness of diseases prevalence and to avoid certain killer disease and varied forms of juvenile delinquency. In places where ignorance and superstition hold sway, especially in Third World countries, school children will be helped with this book to have some health-promoting influence on their illiterate and uninformed parents/guardians. In that important respect, the book is a veritable tool in children’s hands for addressing part of the problem of high mortality rates in developing countries especially.

You can only compare one's life to what you know. Living on Ebeye in the Marshall Islands is an experience within itself. Life is about family and how well you take care of that family but the possibilities outside can enhance anyone's dream. Lynn tells the basic story that can teach the reader that its okay to be afraid and that moving on is better.

Big Nose Kids is a cultural diverse cartoon that speaks to the masses! The cartoon has an urban setting and deals with problems all youngsters face. The stories target ages ranging from toddler to teen. However, the entertainment value is one for all ages. Grandparent and grandchild alike can laugh along and learn through the episodes of the Big Nose Kids.

The storybook uses the cartoon characters to teach important lessons. That's the attraction for parents and guardians. For the kids, the Big Nose Kids stories are just plain fun!

A fun and exciting way for youngsters to learn their abc's while rhyming and discovering delicious things to eat.

One day Sweet Pea's Daddy tells her how beautiful she is, but she doesn't believe him, until she discovers what makes her beautiful. She asks her mom and other important people in her life for their opinions and she finds out that everybody thinks she is beautiful for a different reason. This rhythmic story leaves children confident in themselves and in appreciating their own uniqueness. The story of Sweet Pea reminds us that we all have things that make us beautiful.

Set within the Native American Culture, Cherokee, Skin Walker is the third volume of a three-volume series about wild horses and Indians. The second volume, The Adventures of Cherokee, took him and his friend, Sunee across the Mississippi and to adventures beyond, as he sought the answer to the vision quest he was given in Volume 1, Grandfather.

Now the stallion is all alone in the young territory of Wyoming in the 1860's. He meets new friends, has new adventures and finally finds the answer to that important vision in this, the final book of the series. Older children will enjoy reading these stories and parents and grandparents will enjoy reading them to the younger children - and to themselves, as well. Good family reading for everyone.

Watch for Thunder on the Mountain another good horse story suitable for familes.

You can only compare one's life to what you know. Living on Ebeye in the Marshall Islands is an experience within itself. Life is about family and how well you take care of that family but the possibilities outside can enhance anyone's dream. Lynn tells the basic story that can teach the reader that it's okay to be afraid and that moving on is better.

This book is about a young she-wolf pup. Her name is Grey Eyes, and she lives her life to the fullest as we all want to do. Acknowledge the fear and do it anyway. We all arrive in the world in different bodies, some human. Some are puppies, horses, cows and cats and canaries. She came to us in the form of a little wolf. She is so full life, that this enrages Death. He is an ugly creature, half man/ half goat/mostly bad. Some of this book is dedicated to friendship and love. Some of it deals with what happens when we die.

What would you do if the love of your life is the "Catch Of An Eye" and he betrays you? Do you take revenge? Do you kill or do you forgive? Sabrina travels the maze of life looking for the answer.

This novel contains a soundtrack on compact disc.

Maddy De Koker hated the fact that her parents were dragging her back to South Africa for a holiday. She hated the fact that her ex-friend, Leia, and her family were coming too. But most of all, she hated leaving her boyfriend, Jeff. Would he wait for her?

What will happen in the next few weeks? Will the plane crash? Will she be shot? Will she get bitten by a poisonous snake? Or will 'Africa' simply happen?

If so, who better to show Maddy Africa's true colours than a distant sand angel who waits on her shores?