A collection of words and pictures from Metis elders in northern Alberta who grew up on the land and watched as the first school was built, roads were plowed, and the Tar Sands industry grew from an experimental factory in the woods to one of the world's largest industrial oil projects. Over the years, the Metis elders have told their own histories to their children and grandchildren. Some of these are now presented in this volume, so that their words can sit alongside other books that document the history of the Athabasca basin.