The Book of Elders is an unprecedented collection of photographs, stories, and oral traditions from a broad range of Native American experiences and tribal customs. Sandy Johnson traveled across North America to chronicle the compelling life stories of thirty elders from nineteen different tribes --- as diverse as the Hopi, Navajo, Mohawk, Seminole, and Sioux --- spanning thirteen states in the United States and Canada. Dan Budnik's vivid black-and-white portraits powerfully illuminate the elders' own words.

The elders who speak in this book are important spiritual, political, and cultural figures in their own communities, and role models and inspirations for every one of us. They are speakers at the United Nations, spiritual healers, political activists, parents and grandparents, respected leaders, and international protectors of the environment.

Each elder speaks out honestly and dramatically on such topics as life on the reservation, the shattering effect of government boarding schools on the Indian family, environmental issues, the modern challenges of drug abuse and alcoholism, and the survival of their native culture within the dominant culture. The elders also share spiritual wisdom passed down through the generations. Every one of us can learn from the elders about the important roles that family, culture, and the environment play in our future.