Worlds within Us: Wisdom and Resilience of Indigenous Women Elders

How does one measure the intentions of a life? This is a question that Tekatsi:tsia’ kwa Katsi Cook (Wolf Clan, Mohawk Nation, New York) asks in her introduction to Worlds within Us, a book rich with the voices of eight Native American women elders.  

Each elder represents a distinct nation, a commu­nity, a family, and an individual carrying the history, wisdom, and traditions of generations. They share their very personal life stories with us, inviting readers to reflect on their own lives. 

Whether from present-day Alaska, the American Southwest, the Great Plains, or upstate New York, what each elder brings to readers is unflinching honesty, but also common values, common problems, and above all the common desire to assist in the transformation of others through the example of their own extraordinary lives. 

The book features a foreword by Gail Small (Northern Cheyenne) and afterword by Ramona Emerson (Diné).

Published in partnership with Spirit Aligned Leadership Program

Language: English
Hardcover
ISBN: 978-1-934370-97-1
264 Pages
6.5" x 9"

Featured Narratives: 

Henrietta Mann
Southern Cheyenne

Loretta Afraid of Bear Cook
Oglala Lakota

Wakérakats:te Louise Herne
Akwesasne Mohawk

Nora Naranjo-Morse
Kha’p’o Owenge

Jan Kahehti:io Longboat
Kanien’kehá:ka – Six Nations of the Grand River

Sarah James
Neets’aii Gwich’in

Yvonne Dupuis Peterson
Chehalis

Barbara Poley
Laguna/Hopi