Triumph knows no age limit By Leigh Michaels | April 12th, 2007
Two Old Women: An Alaskan Legend of Betrayal, Courage, and Survival by Velma Wallis Harper Perennial; 1993.
This is an excellent presentation of one of the many oral traditional stories of the Alaskan Athabascan people. (There are also Athabascan peoples in the Southwest, the Navajo and the Apache.) It speaks of the harsh life of those whose only means of survival were to wander between the Porcupine and Tanana Rivers north of the Great Alaskan Range.
The climate here is unforgiving, and this story is about whether the People are willing to be as unforgiving as their habitat.
It begins in the midst of a harsh winter, with the clan starving. It is decided that for the sake of the group, two old women must be left behind. No one is very happy about it, but no one will speak out against it either. The old have had their lives already, the hunting men, who provide for everyone, and the children, the hope of the future must be preserved. But if it is the right decision, why does everyone feel so bad? Necessity wins out, and the two women, Ch’idzigyaak and Sa’, are left alone.
It is Sa’ (whose name means star) who refuses to give up. If she is going to die, she is determined to die trying. Her spirit is so strong, that it overcomes the sadness, anger, and shock of Ch’idzigyaak (whose name means chickadee). The story of how the two old women must fight not only their own fears and elderly bodies, but the elements as well is fascinating. Their struggle is indicative of the struggle that all people face at least once in their lives – to fight on, or just give up. Sa’ and Ch’idzigyaak fight the good fight, and win through in the end.
This is a legend with a lesson, so the ending will not surprise anyone. In fact, the reader will probably see the ending of the story practically before it begins. But Wallis’ version is so well written that every reader will find themselves reading on to the end. And they will find that it has been well worth it.
Leigh Michaels