In the Shadows of Mountains

Folklore. Mythology. With an introduction by Gary Snyder and a foreward by the editor. John Smelcer, himself of Ahtna descent, here collects 26 tales from his tribe, also known as the Copper River Indians of Alaska. Raven, Loon, Mouse, Owl, Porcupine, Spider Woman, Rabbit, Fox, Wolf and others, these stories can serve as an introduction (and a prelude) to the rich oral traditions of the Ahtna Athabaskans of Alaska’s Copper River. (James Kari) Dale Seeds comments that with its maps, photographs, and biographies (of storytellers), it offers a unique insight into the oral narrative through both a sense of place and personalities. It is an important voice…