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Zwei alte Frauen: Eine Legende von Verrat und Tapferkeit
Ein Nomadenstamm im hohen Norden von Alaska: Während eines bitterkalten Winters kommt es zu einer gefährlichen Hungersnot. Wie das alte Stammesgesetz es vorschreibt, beschließt der Häuptling, die beiden ältesten Frauen als »unnütze Esser« zurückzulassen, um den Stamm zu retten. Doch in der Einsamkeit der eisigen Wildnis geschieht das Unglaubliche: Die beiden alten Indianerfrauen geben nicht auf, sondern besinnen sich auf ihre ureigenen Fähigkeiten, die sie längst vergessen geglaubt hatten …
142 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1993
1969 people are currently reading
13265 people want to read
About the author
Velma Wallis
4 books148 followersVelma Wallis (born 1960) is a Gwich'in Athabascan Indian and bestselling U.S. novelist. Her work has been translated into 17 languages.
She was born and raised in a remote Alaskan village near Fort Yukon, approximately 200 km north-east of Fairbanks. This location could be accessed only by riverboat, airplane, snowmobile or dogsled. Velma grew up among twelve siblings. Her father died when she was thirteen years old, and she stayed out of school to help her mother with the household. (She later went on to receive her GED diploma, which is a High School equivalent.)
About twelve miles away from the village, her father had once built a small cabin in the wilderness. He had been an active hunter and trapper. Some time after his death Velma surprised her family and friends by leaving home and living in the cabin for some years. She perfected her trapping, fishing and hunting skills and lived on what she could provide for herself. At one point her mother joined her during the summer to teach her more of the traditional skills needed to survive. In this area, where the Porcupine River flows into the Yukon River, Velma Wallis lived an independent lifestyle. These experiences led directly to her first book, Two Old Women, which astonished her publisher by selling 1.5 million copies worldwide.
Velma Wallis, who has three daughters and a son, now divides her time between Fairbanks and Fort Yukon.
She was born and raised in a remote Alaskan village near Fort Yukon, approximately 200 km north-east of Fairbanks. This location could be accessed only by riverboat, airplane, snowmobile or dogsled. Velma grew up among twelve siblings. Her father died when she was thirteen years old, and she stayed out of school to help her mother with the household. (She later went on to receive her GED diploma, which is a High School equivalent.)
About twelve miles away from the village, her father had once built a small cabin in the wilderness. He had been an active hunter and trapper. Some time after his death Velma surprised her family and friends by leaving home and living in the cabin for some years. She perfected her trapping, fishing and hunting skills and lived on what she could provide for herself. At one point her mother joined her during the summer to teach her more of the traditional skills needed to survive. In this area, where the Porcupine River flows into the Yukon River, Velma Wallis lived an independent lifestyle. These experiences led directly to her first book, Two Old Women, which astonished her publisher by selling 1.5 million copies worldwide.
Velma Wallis, who has three daughters and a son, now divides her time between Fairbanks and Fort Yukon.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,605 reviews
September 13, 2017
Over the course of my reading this year, I have come across a number of books stressing the importance of age being just a number and that just because a person is old, does not make that person weak or enfeebled. The latest book that I have encountered this in is Two Old Women: An Alaskan Legend of Betrayal, Courage and Survival by Velma Wallis. A mythological tale passed down orally from generation to generation, Wallis has set a tale that her mother told her into print form as she relates how two remarkable women saved her Gwich'in people.
The Gwich'in people live above the Arctic circle, north of Fairbanks. Winters are brutal and even though the bands of tribes are native to the land, their is a constant struggle to obtain food and survive. Some of the tribes had even been known to turn to cannibalism. In some situations, when starvation was at its height, tribal leaders made the decision to move and search for a new camp, leaving behind those too weak to assist the tribe in its survival. In each instance, the ones left behind are older women who are viewed as close to death and a burden to the younger, able bodied members of the tribes. The leaders of the Gwich'in people are no different and the tribal chief tells eighty year old Ch'idzigyaak and seventy five year old Sa' that they will have to be left behind as the tribe migrates to obtain food and shelter for the upcoming winter.
Ch'idzigyaak and Sa' decide to conquer their situation as they have both their life experience as hunters and their pride to fall back on. They can either stay rooted to one spot and meet death in the eye or they can make the best of their situation and survive. Although the women are peers, they had never been close as Ch'idzigyaak's life focused around her daughter, whereas Sa' never married and chose to hunt game with the men of her tribe. Between the two women, they knew enough about hunting, fishing, starting fires, and sewing to survive even the most horrendous of northern Alaskan winters. The women grow close and find out that in the history of both of their tribes, other older women had been left behind to die; yet, the other women had been enfeebled and close to death. These two women still believe that they have much of their life ahead of them and are emblematic of the fact that age is but a number to look at.
As this tale was an oral history passed down throughout the generations, Wallis writes this mythical tale as though she was telling. The writing is in a simplistic storytelling style; however, the story is enriching that I was captivated by it. I am usually not a fan of mythology but Wallis' novella is about remarkable women and is an entry in 500 Great Books By Women by Erica Bauermeister, and I have made it a long term goal to eventually read all 500 books listed in this valuable reference tool. As the baby boom generation ages, the issue of age being a number rather than a state in life becomes more and more of timely issue by the day. Wallis has gifted her people and readers with a lovely tale about both the survival of her tribe and about age being just a number, and a tale I rate 3.5 stars.
The Gwich'in people live above the Arctic circle, north of Fairbanks. Winters are brutal and even though the bands of tribes are native to the land, their is a constant struggle to obtain food and survive. Some of the tribes had even been known to turn to cannibalism. In some situations, when starvation was at its height, tribal leaders made the decision to move and search for a new camp, leaving behind those too weak to assist the tribe in its survival. In each instance, the ones left behind are older women who are viewed as close to death and a burden to the younger, able bodied members of the tribes. The leaders of the Gwich'in people are no different and the tribal chief tells eighty year old Ch'idzigyaak and seventy five year old Sa' that they will have to be left behind as the tribe migrates to obtain food and shelter for the upcoming winter.
Ch'idzigyaak and Sa' decide to conquer their situation as they have both their life experience as hunters and their pride to fall back on. They can either stay rooted to one spot and meet death in the eye or they can make the best of their situation and survive. Although the women are peers, they had never been close as Ch'idzigyaak's life focused around her daughter, whereas Sa' never married and chose to hunt game with the men of her tribe. Between the two women, they knew enough about hunting, fishing, starting fires, and sewing to survive even the most horrendous of northern Alaskan winters. The women grow close and find out that in the history of both of their tribes, other older women had been left behind to die; yet, the other women had been enfeebled and close to death. These two women still believe that they have much of their life ahead of them and are emblematic of the fact that age is but a number to look at.
As this tale was an oral history passed down throughout the generations, Wallis writes this mythical tale as though she was telling. The writing is in a simplistic storytelling style; however, the story is enriching that I was captivated by it. I am usually not a fan of mythology but Wallis' novella is about remarkable women and is an entry in 500 Great Books By Women by Erica Bauermeister, and I have made it a long term goal to eventually read all 500 books listed in this valuable reference tool. As the baby boom generation ages, the issue of age being a number rather than a state in life becomes more and more of timely issue by the day. Wallis has gifted her people and readers with a lovely tale about both the survival of her tribe and about age being just a number, and a tale I rate 3.5 stars.
May 11, 2020
The universe found a way to get this book into my hands at just the right moment, and for that bit of magic I am grateful.
As I write this, I have been quarantined at home for eight weeks. The other night, weary from reading depressing news articles about the pandemic and American politics, and also tired from worrying and generally feeling that everything is terrible, I set aside my iPhone, with its addictive subscriptions to The New York Times and The Washington Post, and instead grabbed a copy of "Two Old Women" from my pile of library books. The paperback was well-worn; it has been repaired with book tape several times, and the due-date card in the front shows nearly 50 checkouts in the last 15 years. The reason this book was brought to my attention in the first place was because a library employee asked me if we should replace it, considering the poor shape it was in.
That conversation about the damaged book happened back in early February — back before I had ever heard the terms "social distancing" or "flatten the curve," back when the NCAA tournament and South by Southwest and even the baseball season were all still on schedule, back when I was still considering whether to plan a trip over spring break in mid-March. I remember looking at the book, with its aqua-blue cover and a drawing of two people sitting in a kind of teepee, and reading its subtitle: An Alaska Legend of Betrayal, Courage and Survival. And I had that feeling that I sometimes get when I hold a book in my hands — there was a voice in me saying that I needed to read this book, that I needed to WAKE UP and pay attention to what it has to teach me, and it felt as if this bound collection of pages and drawings had willed itself into existence for this very moment.
And so, trusting that feeling, I checked out the well-worn book and took it home, thinking I would find time for it some weekend, or maybe over spring break. And it sat in the library pile, patiently waiting for me while the world changed. Suddenly I needed to stock up on several weeks of groceries, set up a work space on my kitchen table, transition my in-person class to an online class, and I still had to manage my employees and my library budget and try not to get Zoomed-out during all of those Zoom meetings.
Meanwhile, I was neglecting my pile of library books. I was so focused on work and teaching my class and worrying about the state of the world that I didn't think I had room in my brain to read a book. But then I hit my breaking point the other night and I picked up the aqua-blue library book on top of the pile. I was immediately transported to the Alaskan wilderness, making me forget about my current woes. Now I was focused on the plight of two old women who were abruptly abandoned by their tribe because there wasn't enough food to go around.
I love wilderness stories, tales about people surviving incredible ordeals, legends about how a person's mettle is tested. This is one of those books, and I was so engrossed I read it in one sitting. The journey of these women was gripping and inspiring, and it was accompanied by some striking black-and-white illustrations that showed the stark challenges the two women faced out on their own in Alaska. Reading it, I felt as if I were sitting around a campfire, listening to my ancestors pass down the legend of these amazing women who didn't realize how strong and capable they were.
This is a book that restored my faith in the human spirit when I needed it most. Highly recommended.
As I write this, I have been quarantined at home for eight weeks. The other night, weary from reading depressing news articles about the pandemic and American politics, and also tired from worrying and generally feeling that everything is terrible, I set aside my iPhone, with its addictive subscriptions to The New York Times and The Washington Post, and instead grabbed a copy of "Two Old Women" from my pile of library books. The paperback was well-worn; it has been repaired with book tape several times, and the due-date card in the front shows nearly 50 checkouts in the last 15 years. The reason this book was brought to my attention in the first place was because a library employee asked me if we should replace it, considering the poor shape it was in.
That conversation about the damaged book happened back in early February — back before I had ever heard the terms "social distancing" or "flatten the curve," back when the NCAA tournament and South by Southwest and even the baseball season were all still on schedule, back when I was still considering whether to plan a trip over spring break in mid-March. I remember looking at the book, with its aqua-blue cover and a drawing of two people sitting in a kind of teepee, and reading its subtitle: An Alaska Legend of Betrayal, Courage and Survival. And I had that feeling that I sometimes get when I hold a book in my hands — there was a voice in me saying that I needed to read this book, that I needed to WAKE UP and pay attention to what it has to teach me, and it felt as if this bound collection of pages and drawings had willed itself into existence for this very moment.
And so, trusting that feeling, I checked out the well-worn book and took it home, thinking I would find time for it some weekend, or maybe over spring break. And it sat in the library pile, patiently waiting for me while the world changed. Suddenly I needed to stock up on several weeks of groceries, set up a work space on my kitchen table, transition my in-person class to an online class, and I still had to manage my employees and my library budget and try not to get Zoomed-out during all of those Zoom meetings.
Meanwhile, I was neglecting my pile of library books. I was so focused on work and teaching my class and worrying about the state of the world that I didn't think I had room in my brain to read a book. But then I hit my breaking point the other night and I picked up the aqua-blue library book on top of the pile. I was immediately transported to the Alaskan wilderness, making me forget about my current woes. Now I was focused on the plight of two old women who were abruptly abandoned by their tribe because there wasn't enough food to go around.
"The council and I have arrived at a decision." The chief paused as if to find the strength to voice his next words. "We are going to have to leave the old ones behind." ...
The two women sat old and small before the campfire with their chins held up proudly, disguising their shock. In their younger days they had seen very old people left behind, but they never expected such a fate. They stared ahead numbly as if they had not heard the chief condemn them to a certain death — to be left alone to fend for themselves in a land that understood only strength. Two weak old women stood no chance against such a rule. The news left them without words or action and no way to defend themselves.
I love wilderness stories, tales about people surviving incredible ordeals, legends about how a person's mettle is tested. This is one of those books, and I was so engrossed I read it in one sitting. The journey of these women was gripping and inspiring, and it was accompanied by some striking black-and-white illustrations that showed the stark challenges the two women faced out on their own in Alaska. Reading it, I felt as if I were sitting around a campfire, listening to my ancestors pass down the legend of these amazing women who didn't realize how strong and capable they were.
"Stories are gifts given by an elder to a younger person."
This is a book that restored my faith in the human spirit when I needed it most. Highly recommended.
November 12, 2023
Native American Heritage Month
This is an Athabaskan tale shaped into a novel by contemporary author Velma Wallis. She lists her mother as a source and help with information as her mother is closer to the old times portrayed here. The story follows two old women, 75 and 80 years of age who are left behind by “The People,” their group, because of an extremely bad winter which has reduced the band to near starvation. This evidently was not unheard of but still considered a desperate measure. The only thing considered more drastic would have been cannibalism, something the two old women do fear as they make their way alone.
To their own surprise the women toughen up, cooperate with each other, remember old strategies and manage to survive. Folklore such as this was passed on orally and taught essential life lessons. In addition to teaching about the benefits of acting together, doing ones part, using skills and old ways of the elders, the author manages to give the reader information about how these tough nomadic people lived. Their usual territory was on the far northwestern part of the North American continent above the Arctic Circle. They followed animals for food, clothing, shelter materials and tools.
Told as folklore but can be seen as a novel. There is humor to be found in spite of their plight and you certainly root for the old women.
This is an Athabaskan tale shaped into a novel by contemporary author Velma Wallis. She lists her mother as a source and help with information as her mother is closer to the old times portrayed here. The story follows two old women, 75 and 80 years of age who are left behind by “The People,” their group, because of an extremely bad winter which has reduced the band to near starvation. This evidently was not unheard of but still considered a desperate measure. The only thing considered more drastic would have been cannibalism, something the two old women do fear as they make their way alone.
To their own surprise the women toughen up, cooperate with each other, remember old strategies and manage to survive. Folklore such as this was passed on orally and taught essential life lessons. In addition to teaching about the benefits of acting together, doing ones part, using skills and old ways of the elders, the author manages to give the reader information about how these tough nomadic people lived. Their usual territory was on the far northwestern part of the North American continent above the Arctic Circle. They followed animals for food, clothing, shelter materials and tools.
Told as folklore but can be seen as a novel. There is humor to be found in spite of their plight and you certainly root for the old women.
December 7, 2025
One of my book clubs chose Two Old Women: An Alaskan Legend of Betrayal, Courage and Survival and it's an Athabascan Indian legend about two elderly women who are left to die as their tribe continues traveling during a brutal winter.
The author, Velma Wallis, was told this legend by her mother and she knew she needed to capture it and share it in book form. Stories are a gift given to younger people by elders.
The two women who are left behind are nicknamed Chickadee and Star. They don't know each other well but resolutely decide to try to survive. Their mantra is, "Let us die trying, not sitting."
Fabulous legend about life, challenges, and relationships.
The author, Velma Wallis, was told this legend by her mother and she knew she needed to capture it and share it in book form. Stories are a gift given to younger people by elders.
The two women who are left behind are nicknamed Chickadee and Star. They don't know each other well but resolutely decide to try to survive. Their mantra is, "Let us die trying, not sitting."
Fabulous legend about life, challenges, and relationships.
April 19, 2019
During a particularly bitter winter, with food supplies quickly being depleted, the Chief of a nomadic Alaskan tribe does the unthinkable: he utters the words, "We are going to have to leave the old ones behind."
And, just like that, two elderly women are left to fend for themselves.
A rush of anger surged within her. How dare they! Her cheeks burned with the humiliation. She and the other old woman were not close to dying! Had they not sewn and tanned for what the people gave them? They did not have to be carried from camp to camp. They were neither helpless nor hopeless. Yet they had been condemned to die.
It is expected that the two will quickly perish, but instead, using skills learned over a lifetime, they not only survive, but manage to thrive in the harsh, unforgiving environment.
This was a quick, and very involving read. For me it was a three-and-a-half star read, but I'll round it up due to the author's positive message about age not being a limit to one's abilities.
And, for these great words to live by:
" . . . I say that if we are going to die, my friend, let us die trying, not sitting."
You go, gals!
And, just like that, two elderly women are left to fend for themselves.
A rush of anger surged within her. How dare they! Her cheeks burned with the humiliation. She and the other old woman were not close to dying! Had they not sewn and tanned for what the people gave them? They did not have to be carried from camp to camp. They were neither helpless nor hopeless. Yet they had been condemned to die.
It is expected that the two will quickly perish, but instead, using skills learned over a lifetime, they not only survive, but manage to thrive in the harsh, unforgiving environment.
This was a quick, and very involving read. For me it was a three-and-a-half star read, but I'll round it up due to the author's positive message about age not being a limit to one's abilities.
And, for these great words to live by:
" . . . I say that if we are going to die, my friend, let us die trying, not sitting."
You go, gals!
January 2, 2018
A classic native legend of two old women surviving the cold winter in the tundra region of Alaska. A perfect quick read to kick off my year of reading Alaska and Canada, and book 1 of 2018.
April 17, 2025
Better to Die Trying...
Than Sitting Around Waiting to Die
TWO OLD WOMEN: An Alaska Legend of Betrayal, Courage and Survival
by Velma Wallis
No spoilers. 4 stars. Each day, after cutting wood, Mom and her children sat in their tent on the banks of the Porcupine River...
Mom told the story...
... of two old native Alaskan Indian women and their hard journey of survival during one especially harsh and snowy winter...
The two women...
... whose names translated to Chickadee, 80, and Star, 75, were abandoned by their people due to food shortages in the tribe...
That's how things were done back then...
In the past, the elderly of the band kept busy working until they couldn't move anymore or they died...
Or, they were left to die...
The two old women were given a few animal hides, some strips of leather, a small amount of food, and a small hatchet...
Then abandoned in the snow...
...while the tribe turned their backs on them, believing that the women were a burden to carry and feed during their famine...
Rather than give in to the elements and starvation, one woman said to the other:
They deemed us too old to live, but if we are to die, let us die trying, not sitting around waiting for death to take us...
This story had been handed down several generations by ancestors. One woman in the family decided to put it to paper lest it finally be forgotten.
The time frame was long before the arrival of Western culture, each generation passing it along by word of mouth to the next.
It is a story of perseverance, despite one's age, to do what one must do to survive.
My 4 Star rating is because of the oversimplification in the storytelling, but it must be remembered that this is really how Indian legends came to us from years past. They were all by word of mouth, so they lacked embellishment and word counts.
Than Sitting Around Waiting to Die
TWO OLD WOMEN: An Alaska Legend of Betrayal, Courage and Survival
by Velma Wallis
No spoilers. 4 stars. Each day, after cutting wood, Mom and her children sat in their tent on the banks of the Porcupine River...
Mom told the story...
... of two old native Alaskan Indian women and their hard journey of survival during one especially harsh and snowy winter...
The two women...
... whose names translated to Chickadee, 80, and Star, 75, were abandoned by their people due to food shortages in the tribe...
That's how things were done back then...
In the past, the elderly of the band kept busy working until they couldn't move anymore or they died...
Or, they were left to die...
The two old women were given a few animal hides, some strips of leather, a small amount of food, and a small hatchet...
Then abandoned in the snow...
...while the tribe turned their backs on them, believing that the women were a burden to carry and feed during their famine...
Rather than give in to the elements and starvation, one woman said to the other:
They deemed us too old to live, but if we are to die, let us die trying, not sitting around waiting for death to take us...
This story had been handed down several generations by ancestors. One woman in the family decided to put it to paper lest it finally be forgotten.
The time frame was long before the arrival of Western culture, each generation passing it along by word of mouth to the next.
It is a story of perseverance, despite one's age, to do what one must do to survive.
My 4 Star rating is because of the oversimplification in the storytelling, but it must be remembered that this is really how Indian legends came to us from years past. They were all by word of mouth, so they lacked embellishment and word counts.
August 19, 2022
The story is based on an Athabascan Indian legend, about a tribe in the Alaskan Arctic known as The People.
It’s the dead of winter and food has become dangerously scarce. As the group packs up in preparation to move camp, they’re stunned as the Chief announces they must leave the two old women behind. This difficult decision had been made in consultation with his council, reasoning the women complained more than they contributed. It was a tough choice—one they may come to regret—but no one protested, for fear they may suffer the same punishment.
After that first night alone—spent heartbroken, angry and scared, huddled together in the frigid cold—they vowed they would struggle to survive or die trying.
This story of courage, strength, and determination truly warmed my heart. Two Old Women is an inspirational story with a very gratifying conclusion.
5 “never-underestimate-a-determined-old-woman” stars. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
It’s the dead of winter and food has become dangerously scarce. As the group packs up in preparation to move camp, they’re stunned as the Chief announces they must leave the two old women behind. This difficult decision had been made in consultation with his council, reasoning the women complained more than they contributed. It was a tough choice—one they may come to regret—but no one protested, for fear they may suffer the same punishment.
After that first night alone—spent heartbroken, angry and scared, huddled together in the frigid cold—they vowed they would struggle to survive or die trying.
This story of courage, strength, and determination truly warmed my heart. Two Old Women is an inspirational story with a very gratifying conclusion.
5 “never-underestimate-a-determined-old-woman” stars. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
September 12, 2021
5+++beautiful inspirational stars!
I loved this tale of betrayal and injustice turned into hope, self-discovery, integrity, survival of extreme situation and friendship...Especially because the courageous survivors were two old frail women!
“Now, because we have spent so many years convincing the younger people that we are helpless, they believe that we are no longer of use to this world.”
This is a story before the time of Western culture, a traditional Athabaskan (natives of Alaska) story handed down generation to generation, from person to person until it was written by the author after it was handed down to her by her mother.
‘To survive, we’re forced to imitate some of the ways of the animal. Like the younger, more able wolves who shun the old leader of the pack, these people would leave the old behind so they could move faster without the extra burden.’
This is the short story of two old women, Ch’idzigyaak and Sa’ and their struggle to survive extreme winter weather, harsh environment, hunger and the infirmity of old age after being abandoned by their family group. The people (tribal council) decide that the two elderly women in their care would jeopardise the group’s survival and drain what little resources and strength they have at this most critical time. As it is, they are hard-pressed to find food and the group is close to starvation. The solution is to abandon them to their fate: starvation and death.
‘In those days, leaving the old behind in times of starvation was not an unknown act, although in this band it was happening for the first time.’
This is a cruel decision and unpleasant death pronounced on the old ladies by the people they trusted the most: their own family, tribe and neighbours. The women are shocked and heart-broken, but no one dares to protest this decision for fear of their own and their family’s survival.
‘So it was that the weak and beaten members of the tribe kept what dismay they felt to themselves, for they knew that the cold could bring on a wave of panic followed by cruelty and brutality among people fighting for survival.’
This deep betrayal and abandonment leads to the exploration of fear, resentment and stoicism. But from this bleak premise rises a surprising and powerful theme of extreme survival, strength, self-discovery, female bonding/sisterhood as well as redemption, forgiveness, dignity and ultimately- respect. The old women realised that they didn't have to resign themselves to old age and all its limitations. They discovered a fighting spirit, determination and the courage to try and achieve the impossible and I loved that!
"Yes, in their own way they have condemned us to die! They think we are too old and useless. They forget that we, too, have earned the right to live! So I say if we are going to die, my friend, let us die trying, not sitting.”
I loved the transformation the two old ladies go through; from using a walking stick as aid and complaining about aches and pains and all the other ailments of old age to the realisation that they were not worthless or helpless. I really enjoyed their fighting spirit and dignity of these ladies. It was exhilarating to see them rediscover who they are, what they’re capable of and recall all the different survival skills they acquired throughout their long life in these harsh lands.
I loved, loved, love this story and the way it evokes a sense of isolation and desperation but then it drags you through that dark tunnel and into the light, to a world full of promise, confidence, integrity, friendship and redeeming love. I absolutely adored this simple yet beautiful and moving old story from the Athabaskan people of Alaska.
Two Old Women: An Alaska Legend of Betrayal, Courage and Survival is a testament to the old saying: ‘respect your elders’, because you can still learn from them more than you think.
I loved this tale of betrayal and injustice turned into hope, self-discovery, integrity, survival of extreme situation and friendship...Especially because the courageous survivors were two old frail women!
“Now, because we have spent so many years convincing the younger people that we are helpless, they believe that we are no longer of use to this world.”
This is a story before the time of Western culture, a traditional Athabaskan (natives of Alaska) story handed down generation to generation, from person to person until it was written by the author after it was handed down to her by her mother.
‘To survive, we’re forced to imitate some of the ways of the animal. Like the younger, more able wolves who shun the old leader of the pack, these people would leave the old behind so they could move faster without the extra burden.’
This is the short story of two old women, Ch’idzigyaak and Sa’ and their struggle to survive extreme winter weather, harsh environment, hunger and the infirmity of old age after being abandoned by their family group. The people (tribal council) decide that the two elderly women in their care would jeopardise the group’s survival and drain what little resources and strength they have at this most critical time. As it is, they are hard-pressed to find food and the group is close to starvation. The solution is to abandon them to their fate: starvation and death.
‘In those days, leaving the old behind in times of starvation was not an unknown act, although in this band it was happening for the first time.’
This is a cruel decision and unpleasant death pronounced on the old ladies by the people they trusted the most: their own family, tribe and neighbours. The women are shocked and heart-broken, but no one dares to protest this decision for fear of their own and their family’s survival.
‘So it was that the weak and beaten members of the tribe kept what dismay they felt to themselves, for they knew that the cold could bring on a wave of panic followed by cruelty and brutality among people fighting for survival.’
This deep betrayal and abandonment leads to the exploration of fear, resentment and stoicism. But from this bleak premise rises a surprising and powerful theme of extreme survival, strength, self-discovery, female bonding/sisterhood as well as redemption, forgiveness, dignity and ultimately- respect. The old women realised that they didn't have to resign themselves to old age and all its limitations. They discovered a fighting spirit, determination and the courage to try and achieve the impossible and I loved that!
"Yes, in their own way they have condemned us to die! They think we are too old and useless. They forget that we, too, have earned the right to live! So I say if we are going to die, my friend, let us die trying, not sitting.”
I loved the transformation the two old ladies go through; from using a walking stick as aid and complaining about aches and pains and all the other ailments of old age to the realisation that they were not worthless or helpless. I really enjoyed their fighting spirit and dignity of these ladies. It was exhilarating to see them rediscover who they are, what they’re capable of and recall all the different survival skills they acquired throughout their long life in these harsh lands.
I loved, loved, love this story and the way it evokes a sense of isolation and desperation but then it drags you through that dark tunnel and into the light, to a world full of promise, confidence, integrity, friendship and redeeming love. I absolutely adored this simple yet beautiful and moving old story from the Athabaskan people of Alaska.
Two Old Women: An Alaska Legend of Betrayal, Courage and Survival is a testament to the old saying: ‘respect your elders’, because you can still learn from them more than you think.
April 9, 2025
I loved this story of two senior women who defy expectations and find out the grit they have within themselves and the respect and love they have for each other. The younger generation were cowardly, but they learn from it. Ideally, they'll never look at the elderly the same way ever again and will only ever shower them with continuous respect and love.
The book jacket says this is a story that was passed on generation to generation matrilinearly. It reminds me of some of the Korean allegories I grew up with that were supposed to inspire me into being a better daughter 😂, especially the ones where it was too late for the kids to realize what little brats they were because their parents were dead by the time they came to that understanding. Unlike the Korean stories, these were actual people instead of animals. So it felt more realistic and even probable. If I had kids, I'd want to pass this one down too.
The book jacket says this is a story that was passed on generation to generation matrilinearly. It reminds me of some of the Korean allegories I grew up with that were supposed to inspire me into being a better daughter 😂, especially the ones where it was too late for the kids to realize what little brats they were because their parents were dead by the time they came to that understanding. Unlike the Korean stories, these were actual people instead of animals. So it felt more realistic and even probable. If I had kids, I'd want to pass this one down too.
February 23, 2020
Chídzigyaak y Sa son dos ancianas que viven en una tribu nómada de Alaska. Con el invierno, las tierras heladas y la falta de sustento, el jefe de la tribu decide abandonar a las dos ancianas a su suerte, creyéndolas un obstáculo y una carga para la salvación de la tribu. El resto de las personas, por temor a correr la misma suerte, no saldrán en la defensa de estas dos mujeres. Las ancianas, abandonadas, en el frío y sin ayuda, caerán en una terrible angustia. Saben que están condenadas a morir, pero si han de perecer, lo harán luchando.
Este libro es una delicia. Parece una fábula, un cuentito con un mensaje precioso. Nadie es inservible, todo el mundo aporta. Y aunque las personas mayores, puedan ver mermadas sus capacidades físicas a causa de la edad, no dejan de ser útiles para la sociedad. Esa falta de destreza física, la compensa la sabiduría y la experiencia. La gran fuerza de voluntad de estas dos mujeres dará una gran lección de vida tanto a la gente de la tribu, como a ellas mismas. Como a todos los lectores. El límite no existe. El límite lo pone uno.
El final me ha emocionado mucho y se me ha escapado alguna lagrimita. Que cosa más bonita de libro.
Este libro es una delicia. Parece una fábula, un cuentito con un mensaje precioso. Nadie es inservible, todo el mundo aporta. Y aunque las personas mayores, puedan ver mermadas sus capacidades físicas a causa de la edad, no dejan de ser útiles para la sociedad. Esa falta de destreza física, la compensa la sabiduría y la experiencia. La gran fuerza de voluntad de estas dos mujeres dará una gran lección de vida tanto a la gente de la tribu, como a ellas mismas. Como a todos los lectores. El límite no existe. El límite lo pone uno.
El final me ha emocionado mucho y se me ha escapado alguna lagrimita. Que cosa más bonita de libro.
May 12, 2021
'Two Old Women: An Alaska Legend of Betrayal, Courage and Survival' by Velma Wallis is an inspiring story of two elderly women who were expected to die after being expelled by their tribe, the Gwich’in. The Gwich’in are an Athabascan group in Alaska near the Arctic Circle. The story is one passed down from before contact with Western civilization. It is short, quick to read, but absolutely awesome. I had tears in my eyes at the end.
Sometimes indigenous people could not find enough food to feed their tribe in winter. To save as many as they could, the difficult choices these people made included expelling their aged to save as many of the children and the young hunter/warriors as possible from death by starvation. It was by no means an easy decision as ‘Two Old Women’ makes clear. Many in a tribe knew and some loved the particular elders chosen to be left behind or expelled as the rest of the tribe moved on looking for food.
I have copied the book blurb as it is accurate:
Based on an Athabascan Indian legend passed along for many generations from mothers to daughters of the upper Yukon River Valley in Alaska, this is the suspenseful, shocking, ultimately inspirational tale of two old women abandoned by their tribe during a brutal winter famine.
Though these women have been known to complain more than contribute, they now must either survive on their own or die trying. In simple but vivid detail, Velma Wallis depicts a landscape and way of life that are at once merciless and starkly beautiful. In her old women, she has created two heroines of steely determination whose story of betrayal, friendship, community, and forgiveness "speaks straight to the heart with clarity, sweetness, and wisdom" (Ursula K. Le Guin).
The author has included descriptions of how Alaskan tribes survived by creating and weaving various types of snares from animal parts, tree bark and other natural forest materials. They also made snowshoes, and sewed warm clothes from animal furs, built fires and shelter, preserved meat killed in the summer, which they cached to survive brutal winters. Age may cause people to slow down and become weaker, but the young learned how to do all of the things needed to survive from the elders.
The women in the novella were really old - 80 and 75. They were considered to be too weak and old to live much longer. The tribe had had to care for and feed them for some time. The old women were not grateful, but complained a lot. So not very many of the tribe argued against the decision to leave them with a shelter and the clothes on their backs. Ch’idzigyakk, the 80-year-old, had a daughter and a grandson. The daughter felt terrible but she was afraid to stand against the tribe’s decision. However, she secretly gave her mother some supplies. Sa’ had been a tomboy in her youth and had learned many of the skills that usually only the males of the tribe learned. But the women were definitely weak and their skills had deteriorated from many years of their needs being taken care of by the younger people of the tribe.
Watching their family, friends and the rest of the tribe walk away, the two women were terrified. They knew they could not survive, right? Right?
I really liked ‘Two Old Women’.
Sometimes indigenous people could not find enough food to feed their tribe in winter. To save as many as they could, the difficult choices these people made included expelling their aged to save as many of the children and the young hunter/warriors as possible from death by starvation. It was by no means an easy decision as ‘Two Old Women’ makes clear. Many in a tribe knew and some loved the particular elders chosen to be left behind or expelled as the rest of the tribe moved on looking for food.
I have copied the book blurb as it is accurate:
Based on an Athabascan Indian legend passed along for many generations from mothers to daughters of the upper Yukon River Valley in Alaska, this is the suspenseful, shocking, ultimately inspirational tale of two old women abandoned by their tribe during a brutal winter famine.
Though these women have been known to complain more than contribute, they now must either survive on their own or die trying. In simple but vivid detail, Velma Wallis depicts a landscape and way of life that are at once merciless and starkly beautiful. In her old women, she has created two heroines of steely determination whose story of betrayal, friendship, community, and forgiveness "speaks straight to the heart with clarity, sweetness, and wisdom" (Ursula K. Le Guin).
The author has included descriptions of how Alaskan tribes survived by creating and weaving various types of snares from animal parts, tree bark and other natural forest materials. They also made snowshoes, and sewed warm clothes from animal furs, built fires and shelter, preserved meat killed in the summer, which they cached to survive brutal winters. Age may cause people to slow down and become weaker, but the young learned how to do all of the things needed to survive from the elders.
The women in the novella were really old - 80 and 75. They were considered to be too weak and old to live much longer. The tribe had had to care for and feed them for some time. The old women were not grateful, but complained a lot. So not very many of the tribe argued against the decision to leave them with a shelter and the clothes on their backs. Ch’idzigyakk, the 80-year-old, had a daughter and a grandson. The daughter felt terrible but she was afraid to stand against the tribe’s decision. However, she secretly gave her mother some supplies. Sa’ had been a tomboy in her youth and had learned many of the skills that usually only the males of the tribe learned. But the women were definitely weak and their skills had deteriorated from many years of their needs being taken care of by the younger people of the tribe.
Watching their family, friends and the rest of the tribe walk away, the two women were terrified. They knew they could not survive, right? Right?
I really liked ‘Two Old Women’.
August 29, 2014
Update: Mom loved it, and I am so grateful that she and I share a love of fiction!
Review:
I loved this book. I can't wait to give it to my 89-year-old mother to read. It's such an affirmation of the dignity and wisdom of older age. My review may spoil the story for you so proceed cautiously from here.
Two Old Women is based on an Athabascan Indian legend. A starving tribe of Alaskan natives leaves two old women alone in the freezing cold to die, because every mouthful of food is precious, and these two are unhelpful. They don't contribute to the tribe; they take from it. People have to help them. They complain constantly.
Once the tribe leaves them, though, they must decide whether to accept the death sentence or not. The younger woman, 75, says we might die anyway, but if that is so, let's at least die trying to live. So they adopt that motto. At least let's die trying. They manage to avert death by recalling long-unused knowledge of survival skills. In spite of their old, achy bodies, they thrive and bond with each other, but they are lonely and sad.
Eventually, there's a happy ending, which I'll let you discover for yourself. If you're like me, you'll reread it, crying with joy each time.
But the message of this book is multi-faceted. Elders can and should continue to contribute until the end. Youth should respect the elders for their valuable knowledge. All people benefit from this synergy.
Two Old Women is a short book. I read it in one evening. I heartily recommend it, particularly to those who are older and feeling ignored, useless, or confused. This book will get you up and moving, and it will make you happy.
Review:
I loved this book. I can't wait to give it to my 89-year-old mother to read. It's such an affirmation of the dignity and wisdom of older age. My review may spoil the story for you so proceed cautiously from here.
Two Old Women is based on an Athabascan Indian legend. A starving tribe of Alaskan natives leaves two old women alone in the freezing cold to die, because every mouthful of food is precious, and these two are unhelpful. They don't contribute to the tribe; they take from it. People have to help them. They complain constantly.
Once the tribe leaves them, though, they must decide whether to accept the death sentence or not. The younger woman, 75, says we might die anyway, but if that is so, let's at least die trying to live. So they adopt that motto. At least let's die trying. They manage to avert death by recalling long-unused knowledge of survival skills. In spite of their old, achy bodies, they thrive and bond with each other, but they are lonely and sad.
Eventually, there's a happy ending, which I'll let you discover for yourself. If you're like me, you'll reread it, crying with joy each time.
But the message of this book is multi-faceted. Elders can and should continue to contribute until the end. Youth should respect the elders for their valuable knowledge. All people benefit from this synergy.
Two Old Women is a short book. I read it in one evening. I heartily recommend it, particularly to those who are older and feeling ignored, useless, or confused. This book will get you up and moving, and it will make you happy.
October 12, 2020
I read Velma Wallis' Bird Girl and the Man Who Followed the Sun: An Athabaskan Indian Legend from Alaska many years ago and really enjoyed her translation of oral history to the written word. It was nice to revisit her folk stories in this short novel. My hard copy of the book is the 20th Anniversary edition, published in 2013. Glad to see the publisher re-release the book to a new audience.
The story follows a small band of Athabaskans in a particularly hard winter, who make the choice to leave two elderly women behind on their journeys to lighten the load (and allow more food) for the rest of the group. It's a heartbreaking scene, and the women feel betrayed. This sadness turns into willpower and a desire to survive, even in the harshest of environments.
A lovely story of survival and will, but also an inspiration for living.
The story follows a small band of Athabaskans in a particularly hard winter, who make the choice to leave two elderly women behind on their journeys to lighten the load (and allow more food) for the rest of the group. It's a heartbreaking scene, and the women feel betrayed. This sadness turns into willpower and a desire to survive, even in the harshest of environments.
A lovely story of survival and will, but also an inspiration for living.
July 15, 2017
Velma Wallis was born in Fort Yukon, a remote village in interior Alaska and grew up in a traditional Athabaskan family. Alaskan Athabaskans are native to Alaska, the original inhabitants of the interior of Alaska, living a culture of inland creek and river fishing, fabricating what they need from the resources that surround them, living by a matrilineal system in which children belong to the mother's clan.
They are believed to have descended from Asians who crossed from eastern Siberia into Alaska during an early Ice Age.
The People Velma Wallis writes about in this legend, roamed the land and rivers around the area she was born, following trails that ensured they had access to the necessary resources to survive the changing seasons. They depended on the annual salmon runs and large game as well as small animals, using their skins for warmth.
Growing up in a traditional way, the young Velma also lived in different summer and winter cabins and although no longer a child, she enjoyed the nightly stories her mother continue to narrate. One of those stories was about two old women and their journey through hardship and it lead to her mother reflecting on how she had been able to overcome her own obstacles of old age, despite how physically agonising it could be.
The story held such fascination to her that she wrote it down and it evolved into this little book, once a story handed down from generation to generation, now committed to print so that an ever wider audience could learn from its wisdom.
The story tells of a group of nomads, People of the arctic region of Alaska who are on the move in search of food, but this particular winter they are beset with problems, the game they usually hunt due to the excess cold have become difficult to find and the smaller animals are not enough to sustain the group. Hunters are fed first, meaning there is often not enough for the women and children.
In the group there are two old women whom the People care for, Ch'idzigyaak and Sa', younger men set up their shelters, younger women pull their possessions, however they are both known for constantly complaining of their aches and pains. One day, the chief makes a sudden announcement, one that the group has heard of from their stories, but never witnessed within their own band.
The women are shocked, as are the People, the older woman has a daughter and grandson, however no one objects, not even the daughter, though she leaves her mother a parting gift, one that will be intrinsic to their survival.
The group moves away leaving the stunned women sitting by the remains of their temporary camp. Until they awaken to the reality of their situation and find within them the will to move.
And so begins a challenging journey, a reawakening and discovery of talents that had lain dormant from lack of use, as the two women set out to prove their People wrong and more, to set an example, though no one is there to witness it.
It's a fabulous and poignant story about the value of the accumulation of years, and a reminder for those who arrive there not to lapse into laziness and a sense of entitlement, the respect that they deserve should be earned, the wisdom they are able to impart is not just what is spoken, it can be demonstrated by their actions and attitudes. Its' beautiful illustrations by James Grant bring the story to life and it is equally an ode to the importance of sharing experiences through friendship and community.
Highly Recommended!
They are believed to have descended from Asians who crossed from eastern Siberia into Alaska during an early Ice Age.
The People Velma Wallis writes about in this legend, roamed the land and rivers around the area she was born, following trails that ensured they had access to the necessary resources to survive the changing seasons. They depended on the annual salmon runs and large game as well as small animals, using their skins for warmth.
Growing up in a traditional way, the young Velma also lived in different summer and winter cabins and although no longer a child, she enjoyed the nightly stories her mother continue to narrate. One of those stories was about two old women and their journey through hardship and it lead to her mother reflecting on how she had been able to overcome her own obstacles of old age, despite how physically agonising it could be.
The story held such fascination to her that she wrote it down and it evolved into this little book, once a story handed down from generation to generation, now committed to print so that an ever wider audience could learn from its wisdom.
"This story told me that there is no limit to one's ability - certainly not age - to accomplish in life what one must. Within each individual in this large and complicated world there lives an astounding potential of greatness. Yet it is rare that these hidden gifts are brought to life unless by chance of fate." Velma Wallis
The story tells of a group of nomads, People of the arctic region of Alaska who are on the move in search of food, but this particular winter they are beset with problems, the game they usually hunt due to the excess cold have become difficult to find and the smaller animals are not enough to sustain the group. Hunters are fed first, meaning there is often not enough for the women and children.
In the group there are two old women whom the People care for, Ch'idzigyaak and Sa', younger men set up their shelters, younger women pull their possessions, however they are both known for constantly complaining of their aches and pains. One day, the chief makes a sudden announcement, one that the group has heard of from their stories, but never witnessed within their own band.
"The council and I have arrived at a decision." The chief paused as if to find the strength to voice his next words. "We are going to have to leave the old ones behind."
The women are shocked, as are the People, the older woman has a daughter and grandson, however no one objects, not even the daughter, though she leaves her mother a parting gift, one that will be intrinsic to their survival.
The group moves away leaving the stunned women sitting by the remains of their temporary camp. Until they awaken to the reality of their situation and find within them the will to move.
"Yes, in their own way they have condemned us to die! They think we are too old and useless. They forget that we, too, have earned the right to love! So I say if we are going to die, my friend, let us die trying, not sitting."
And so begins a challenging journey, a reawakening and discovery of talents that had lain dormant from lack of use, as the two women set out to prove their People wrong and more, to set an example, though no one is there to witness it.
It's a fabulous and poignant story about the value of the accumulation of years, and a reminder for those who arrive there not to lapse into laziness and a sense of entitlement, the respect that they deserve should be earned, the wisdom they are able to impart is not just what is spoken, it can be demonstrated by their actions and attitudes. Its' beautiful illustrations by James Grant bring the story to life and it is equally an ode to the importance of sharing experiences through friendship and community.
Highly Recommended!
April 8, 2021
This is a sentimental folktale that may be based on a true story. It comes from the Athabascan people who live in the arctic region of Alaska. The story is from their past when they lived as hunter gatherers in a land of extreme and unforgiving weather.
It was a fact of their existence that in order to assure the survival of the community they sometimes were forced to make hard decisions in the midst of brutal winter famine. At such times it might be necessary to move to new locations in search of wild game for food and they would need to leave older members of the band behind to face almost certain starvation and/or freezing.
At this point the story becomes a lesson in the wisdom that comes from living many years in harsh and rugged surroundings. These two women decide they will try to survive or die trying. Drawing on knowledge of places visited in the past and using skills learned many years earlier they do indeed survive. The story follows them through the first winter, the next summer, and into the beginning of the second winter. Over the summer they were able to store up dried fish, and they were well stocked for the coming winter. The book describes their past lives by way of conversations between the two women.
In the meantime the band that had abandoned the two women decided to return to the location of the previous year's abandonment. There were no signs of the two old women, and they conclude that they must have moved to another location. An older member of the group has an idea of where they may have moved, and indeed they were able to locate the women alive and well. As it turned out the women were so well stocked with food that they were able to assist the group by sharing their food.
The book explores the feelings on both sides regarding this reunion. Again the feelings are mixed, this time between guilt of the abandonment and happiness that they survived. The book as a whole provides lesson on the value of wisdom that comes with advanced age. Needless the say, the story has a happy ending. Guilt feelings are mended with forgiveness, and the community lives on in harmony.
The author herself is Athabascan and indicates that this story was told to her by her mother. I can imagine women enjoy retelling of this story as an example of women outsmarting their male leaders.
It was a fact of their existence that in order to assure the survival of the community they sometimes were forced to make hard decisions in the midst of brutal winter famine. At such times it might be necessary to move to new locations in search of wild game for food and they would need to leave older members of the band behind to face almost certain starvation and/or freezing.
In those days, leaving the old behind in times of starvation was not an unknown act, although in this band it was happening for the first time. The starkness of the primitive land seemed to demand it, as the people to survive were forced to imitate some of the ways of the animals. Like the younger more able wolves who shun the old leader of the pack, these people would leave the old behind so that they could move faster without the extra burden.This book tells the story of a time when two old women were left behind. The book explores the feelings within both the women and others of the group. There were mixed feelings. Some were glad to be relived of the nagging from these two old women, and others didn’t want to leave them behind. Survival required leaving with the group, so the women were abandoned.
At this point the story becomes a lesson in the wisdom that comes from living many years in harsh and rugged surroundings. These two women decide they will try to survive or die trying. Drawing on knowledge of places visited in the past and using skills learned many years earlier they do indeed survive. The story follows them through the first winter, the next summer, and into the beginning of the second winter. Over the summer they were able to store up dried fish, and they were well stocked for the coming winter. The book describes their past lives by way of conversations between the two women.
In the meantime the band that had abandoned the two women decided to return to the location of the previous year's abandonment. There were no signs of the two old women, and they conclude that they must have moved to another location. An older member of the group has an idea of where they may have moved, and indeed they were able to locate the women alive and well. As it turned out the women were so well stocked with food that they were able to assist the group by sharing their food.
The book explores the feelings on both sides regarding this reunion. Again the feelings are mixed, this time between guilt of the abandonment and happiness that they survived. The book as a whole provides lesson on the value of wisdom that comes with advanced age. Needless the say, the story has a happy ending. Guilt feelings are mended with forgiveness, and the community lives on in harmony.
The author herself is Athabascan and indicates that this story was told to her by her mother. I can imagine women enjoy retelling of this story as an example of women outsmarting their male leaders.
January 8, 2022
Es sabido que muchas sociedades no se portan bien con sus mayores y los someten a un abandono que puede ser moral o material. El caso extremo es el de algunas tribus nómadas en el Ártico, que los abandonan y por tanto los condenan a morir de frío y hambre.
En este relato se cuenta la aventura de dos ancianas, que no sólo sobreviven al abandono de la tribu, sino que descubren sus propias capacidades y demuestran lo que vale su experiencia y su sabiduría.
Me ha gustado lo que la historia tiene de superación personal y la propuesta de reconsiderar el trato injusto que a veces se da a las personas mayores.
El lenguaje narrativo y el relato en sí, me ha parecido un poco flojo, a veces he creído oír ecos de Paolo Coelho, con personajes poco dibujados y mucha moraleja. El final creo que es muy forzado y no muy realista.
De todos modos, es un relato agradable, que se lee rápido y deja buenas sensaciones.
En este relato se cuenta la aventura de dos ancianas, que no sólo sobreviven al abandono de la tribu, sino que descubren sus propias capacidades y demuestran lo que vale su experiencia y su sabiduría.
Me ha gustado lo que la historia tiene de superación personal y la propuesta de reconsiderar el trato injusto que a veces se da a las personas mayores.
El lenguaje narrativo y el relato en sí, me ha parecido un poco flojo, a veces he creído oír ecos de Paolo Coelho, con personajes poco dibujados y mucha moraleja. El final creo que es muy forzado y no muy realista.
De todos modos, es un relato agradable, que se lee rápido y deja buenas sensaciones.
October 26, 2016
This is a rather wonderful re-telling of a legend about two women who are abandoned by thier tribe. The book chronicles the women as they find that while surviving is hard, they can do it, and perhaps teach some lessons of thier own.
May 30, 2025
This oral story of the Gwich'in band, one of eleven groups in the Alsakan Athabaskan People. The story has been told for generation. Wallis felt the need to write it down and share with a larger audience. It was one story her mother told her of the many stories she shared. Wallis grew up as a Native person in the same area where this legend takes place.
The tale tells of a village of The People facing a particularly hard time of starvation and winter upon them. The chief makes the difficult decision to leave behind two old women while they move camp, leaving the women behind to die of starvation and cold. What the women do next perhaps surprises even themselves.
I've this print book for so long, over 20 years, that I’m not sure why I hadn’t read it until now. When I discovered my local library had an audio copy I decided to listen to it. Since it was originally an oral story I think this may have been the better way to read it. Except my print book did come with line drawings and a couple of maps that enhanced the text.
It is a short book, not much over two hours in audio and under 150 print pages. Again, I’m not sure why I overlooked this book on my shelves. Easily able to read this in one day, which I did. One thing the audio did not have was Editor’s note at the end. It shared briefly a little about the author but also explained how they had difficulty getting the book published in the late 1980s. One problem was the author was a women, the other that the native peoples thought the story made them look bad. Finally they were able to find funding to get the book published through a subscription model in 1993.
The tale tells of a village of The People facing a particularly hard time of starvation and winter upon them. The chief makes the difficult decision to leave behind two old women while they move camp, leaving the women behind to die of starvation and cold. What the women do next perhaps surprises even themselves.
I've this print book for so long, over 20 years, that I’m not sure why I hadn’t read it until now. When I discovered my local library had an audio copy I decided to listen to it. Since it was originally an oral story I think this may have been the better way to read it. Except my print book did come with line drawings and a couple of maps that enhanced the text.
It is a short book, not much over two hours in audio and under 150 print pages. Again, I’m not sure why I overlooked this book on my shelves. Easily able to read this in one day, which I did. One thing the audio did not have was Editor’s note at the end. It shared briefly a little about the author but also explained how they had difficulty getting the book published in the late 1980s. One problem was the author was a women, the other that the native peoples thought the story made them look bad. Finally they were able to find funding to get the book published through a subscription model in 1993.
December 24, 2020
Who would have thought that two grannies would be booted from the tribe? Not enough resources, not enough to go around, not enough hands to attend them with their many needs and peculiarities. That's where this story begins. I am a granny, so it certainly got my attention. If I had read this story as a young woman my perspective would have been from another side, entirely. As a middle-aged person, yet another. Here I come from the end of the line. The booted.
Outrageous! Who have made so many things possible throughout the years? Those invisible workers, the house-elves (tent-elves?), who just go and do, and the only time you notice is when the job isn't done (not the 99 times it was done!).
I loved this story. Sa' is 75 years old, and Ch'idzigyaak is 80 years old. Both mope for a bit, but a kind, yet resolute daughter has left a valuable resource and a dear grandson has given them his hatchet. These tools alone will not save them, but certainly they are hope-made-tangible and will be the medicine they need to overcome the sickness of despair that beckons them to easy surrender. NO! They will not, and do not.
A reminder across generations and cultures that we are more than we think we are. We can accomplish more than others think we can. We just need to get up and do. Prove those mistaken decision-makers wrong. Again.
Outrageous! Who have made so many things possible throughout the years? Those invisible workers, the house-elves (tent-elves?), who just go and do, and the only time you notice is when the job isn't done (not the 99 times it was done!).
I loved this story. Sa' is 75 years old, and Ch'idzigyaak is 80 years old. Both mope for a bit, but a kind, yet resolute daughter has left a valuable resource and a dear grandson has given them his hatchet. These tools alone will not save them, but certainly they are hope-made-tangible and will be the medicine they need to overcome the sickness of despair that beckons them to easy surrender. NO! They will not, and do not.
A reminder across generations and cultures that we are more than we think we are. We can accomplish more than others think we can. We just need to get up and do. Prove those mistaken decision-makers wrong. Again.
December 4, 2025
Two old women are part of a migrating Athabaskan Indian tribe during a harsh Arctic winter. The people are starving, and the two old women are abandoned by the group.
But the two women don't just sit down in the snow and die. Instead, they struggle to make their way to an old camp they remember as being flush with animals from the past, and with unexpected resolve and determination, the two women build a shelter from the freezing cold, hunt and store food, and make warm mittens and clothing from the skins of the animals they kill.
It's a wonderful story. I was rooting for the women the entire time and they proved themselves to be worthy every step of the way during their trials in the Arctic.
But the two women don't just sit down in the snow and die. Instead, they struggle to make their way to an old camp they remember as being flush with animals from the past, and with unexpected resolve and determination, the two women build a shelter from the freezing cold, hunt and store food, and make warm mittens and clothing from the skins of the animals they kill.
It's a wonderful story. I was rooting for the women the entire time and they proved themselves to be worthy every step of the way during their trials in the Arctic.
March 25, 2019
Tougher than an Artic Winter
The story of the two vulnerable amid the inhospitable is fascinating survival. The author's style is sparse as the events unfold - there's no lingering before moving on to what is next. The downside is some characters seem shallow. Good story in a brief read.
The story of the two vulnerable amid the inhospitable is fascinating survival. The author's style is sparse as the events unfold - there's no lingering before moving on to what is next. The downside is some characters seem shallow. Good story in a brief read.
January 28, 2020
The message I got from this book is "Don't be a crabby old lady or else no one will want to be around you." Seriously, this is a nice story about the resilience of old people and the grace of forgiveness.
June 27, 2025
Two Old Women tells the legendary Gwich'in story of Ch'idzigyaak and Sa', two elderly women who are abandoned by their nomadic tribe during a harsh winter famine in Alaska. Rather than give in to despair, the women draw on their inner strength and resourcefulness and do their best to survive. They set off to locate sources of food and build shelter at their selected campsites.
The prose is straightforward, in the manner of oral storytelling, describing the harsh environment and practical mindset of the two women. It is told from an omniscient perspective that allows readers access to both women's thoughts. As expected in an indigenous legend, it emphasizes moral lessons, which are embedded in the tale rather than explicitly stated. The author learned of this story through her grandmother, a tribal elder.
Themes include aging, dignity, and the value of elders in society. I particularly enjoyed this book for giving voice to older women, a demographic that is often marginalized. Do not miss the informative end note explaining more about the Gwich'in, one of the northern Athabaskan groups, traditionally inhabiting areas of what is now Fort Yukon and Chalkyitsik.
The prose is straightforward, in the manner of oral storytelling, describing the harsh environment and practical mindset of the two women. It is told from an omniscient perspective that allows readers access to both women's thoughts. As expected in an indigenous legend, it emphasizes moral lessons, which are embedded in the tale rather than explicitly stated. The author learned of this story through her grandmother, a tribal elder.
Themes include aging, dignity, and the value of elders in society. I particularly enjoyed this book for giving voice to older women, a demographic that is often marginalized. Do not miss the informative end note explaining more about the Gwich'in, one of the northern Athabaskan groups, traditionally inhabiting areas of what is now Fort Yukon and Chalkyitsik.
August 30, 2020
Based on an Athabaskan legend passed on by mothers to their daughters, this slim volume presents us with two elders who have been abandoned by their tribe during a brutal winter famine. Realizing they must put aside their complaints and rejuvenate the skills they are equipped with, these two women show the importance of kinship and human resilience.
I really enjoyed this story which for me was a great character tale.
Goodreads review published 30/08/20
I really enjoyed this story which for me was a great character tale.
Goodreads review published 30/08/20
March 28, 2020
A good friend of mine was once aghast to hear that I had given my grandmother a copy of Velma Wallis's Two Old Women for her birthday, inscribed as follows: To Gran, the strongest woman I know, with love on your 90th Birthday, Abby. Apparently the women of her family, regardless of their age, did not like to be thought "old," and it would have been considered an unpardonable breach of good manners for my friend to have given any of her elders a book with such a title. For my part, I was dismayed, though perhaps not astonished, given our image-obsessed culture, that anyone would consider "old" such a pejorative term, or think of age as something to be ashamed of and hidden, rather than celebrated.
I also recall thinking that if a woman didn't know she was old at ninety, or could take offense at a heartfelt gift, meant to express love and deep respect for her wisdom and strength, than she must be sadly lacking in either reason or dignity; and I was glad that such a thing could not be said of the women of my family. But since it would most DEFINITELY have been an unpardonable breach of good manners to have expressed such a sentiment to her, I simply replied, "I do not think my grandmother will be offended."
This wonderful book, based upon a legend passed down among the Athabascan women of Alaska, relates the story of two old women who are cast out by their tribe one hard winter. Two old complainers, who seem to have little to contribute to the welfare of the group, Ch'idzigyaak and Sa' have become an untenable burden to a people struggling to survive in a harsh and unforgiving landscape, and it is decided that they must be abandoned.
But it is not the young alone who have courage, and when these two old women set out to "die trying," they discover that they still have what it takes to survive. Their knowledge of old fishing grounds stands them in good stead, and when they are reunited with the People, they demonstrate that they do indeed have something vital to contribute: the knowledge that comes with experience and age.
As a story of survival, Two Old Women is an engrossing, exciting read. As a fable about aging, the place of the elderly in a culture, and reconciliation between the generations, it was truly moving. I was impressed that no one was vilified in the story, and each decision reached, however much we might disagree with it in today's world, made sense in the context of that time and place. I always hesitate to use the word "inspirational," as it has been so abused that it seems to have lost all meaning...but there doesn't seem to be any help for it. This truly was an inspirational book, and I highly recommend it to people of all ages.
And as for my grandmother? When we had the misfortune to lose her a few years back, we found this among her books. She had been in the habit of underlining any bit of text she found especially moving or meaningful. Almost every paragraph was underlined...
I also recall thinking that if a woman didn't know she was old at ninety, or could take offense at a heartfelt gift, meant to express love and deep respect for her wisdom and strength, than she must be sadly lacking in either reason or dignity; and I was glad that such a thing could not be said of the women of my family. But since it would most DEFINITELY have been an unpardonable breach of good manners to have expressed such a sentiment to her, I simply replied, "I do not think my grandmother will be offended."
This wonderful book, based upon a legend passed down among the Athabascan women of Alaska, relates the story of two old women who are cast out by their tribe one hard winter. Two old complainers, who seem to have little to contribute to the welfare of the group, Ch'idzigyaak and Sa' have become an untenable burden to a people struggling to survive in a harsh and unforgiving landscape, and it is decided that they must be abandoned.
But it is not the young alone who have courage, and when these two old women set out to "die trying," they discover that they still have what it takes to survive. Their knowledge of old fishing grounds stands them in good stead, and when they are reunited with the People, they demonstrate that they do indeed have something vital to contribute: the knowledge that comes with experience and age.
As a story of survival, Two Old Women is an engrossing, exciting read. As a fable about aging, the place of the elderly in a culture, and reconciliation between the generations, it was truly moving. I was impressed that no one was vilified in the story, and each decision reached, however much we might disagree with it in today's world, made sense in the context of that time and place. I always hesitate to use the word "inspirational," as it has been so abused that it seems to have lost all meaning...but there doesn't seem to be any help for it. This truly was an inspirational book, and I highly recommend it to people of all ages.
And as for my grandmother? When we had the misfortune to lose her a few years back, we found this among her books. She had been in the habit of underlining any bit of text she found especially moving or meaningful. Almost every paragraph was underlined...
April 17, 2018
I liked this. The title is so accurate, because this is indeed a book about two old women. They are old, and maybe they don't work as hard around camp as others. So when times get tough for the tribe, the leader leaves them behind for the sake of the tribe as a whole, because these women aren't contributors.
While this is not great literature, I loved the messages. These women realize things about themselves that they have ignored and or didn't want to admit, but now their survival is a task that completely rests upon their own shoulders....they have no one else. I loved their journey of discovery in the Alaskan wilderness. It wasn't just a physical one. So 4 stars.
While this is not great literature, I loved the messages. These women realize things about themselves that they have ignored and or didn't want to admit, but now their survival is a task that completely rests upon their own shoulders....they have no one else. I loved their journey of discovery in the Alaskan wilderness. It wasn't just a physical one. So 4 stars.
December 9, 2008
I'm an older woman myself busy exploring the wilderness near the town where my husband and I have retired. My daughter thought I'd love this book about VERY old Athabaskan women who are left behind by their migrating tribe because they would be a burden on the tribe. Instead of going off to die in the wilderness they figure out how to survive on their own. It is an exquisitely detailed retelling of an old legend the author grew up hearing. She has truly honored her elders by writing this wonderful book. It is a short read but you feel like you've lived through a long experience!
August 15, 2020
„Zwei alte Frauen – Eine Legende von Verrat und Tapferkeit“ erzählt von Velma Wallis📖
Ein Nomadenstamm im hohen Norden von Alaska: Während eines bitterkalten Winters kommt es zu einer gefährlichen Hungersnot. Wie das alte Stammesgesetz es vorschreibt, beschließt der Häuptling, die beiden ältesten Frauen als »unnütze Esser« zurückzulassen, um den Stamm zu retten. Doch in der Einsamkeit der eisigen Wildnis geschieht das Unglaubliche: Die beiden alten Indianerfrauen geben nicht auf, sondern besinnen sich auf ihre ureigenen Fähigkeiten, die sie längst vergessen geglaubt hatten und kämpfen sich so gut es geht durch die harte Zeit der Kälte und des Hungers.
Diese alte Legende war für mich ein richtiges Seelenbuch, das ich dringend für mein Leserherz brauchte.❤
Denn es erzählt nicht nur von Verrat und Tapferkeit, sondern auch von Mut, von Nächstenliebe, von Respekt.
Die Legende berührt und erzählt von ganz ganz viel Hoffnung und dem unabdingbaren Wille zu überleben und wie wichtig Zusammenhalt ist, gerade in Zeiten der Not.
Vielen lieben Dank an dieser Stelle an meine liebe Lese- und Herzensfreundin Leilani , mit der ich diese wunderbare Legende gemeinsam im #buddyread gelesen habe. Nach ein paar eher enttäuschenden Büchern waren die zwei alten Frauen eine echte Wohltat für Herz und Seele💖📚
Ein Nomadenstamm im hohen Norden von Alaska: Während eines bitterkalten Winters kommt es zu einer gefährlichen Hungersnot. Wie das alte Stammesgesetz es vorschreibt, beschließt der Häuptling, die beiden ältesten Frauen als »unnütze Esser« zurückzulassen, um den Stamm zu retten. Doch in der Einsamkeit der eisigen Wildnis geschieht das Unglaubliche: Die beiden alten Indianerfrauen geben nicht auf, sondern besinnen sich auf ihre ureigenen Fähigkeiten, die sie längst vergessen geglaubt hatten und kämpfen sich so gut es geht durch die harte Zeit der Kälte und des Hungers.
Diese alte Legende war für mich ein richtiges Seelenbuch, das ich dringend für mein Leserherz brauchte.❤
Denn es erzählt nicht nur von Verrat und Tapferkeit, sondern auch von Mut, von Nächstenliebe, von Respekt.
Die Legende berührt und erzählt von ganz ganz viel Hoffnung und dem unabdingbaren Wille zu überleben und wie wichtig Zusammenhalt ist, gerade in Zeiten der Not.
Vielen lieben Dank an dieser Stelle an meine liebe Lese- und Herzensfreundin Leilani , mit der ich diese wunderbare Legende gemeinsam im #buddyread gelesen habe. Nach ein paar eher enttäuschenden Büchern waren die zwei alten Frauen eine echte Wohltat für Herz und Seele💖📚
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