In this book, the author describes the personal conflicts he faced as a result of the tensions between a traditional and a modern society and his lifelong efforts to fortify a living Ainu culture, which revolved around bear hunting, fishing, farming, and woodcutting.

Kayano Shigeru is the founder and director of the Kayano Shigeru Ainu Memorial Museum. He is a Diet member, the first Ainu to be elected. Kyoko Selden teaches Japanese at Cornell University. Lili Selden is a graduate student in Japanese literature at the University of Michigan.

1. Our Nibutani Valley, 2. The Four Seasons in the Ainu Community, 3. My Grandfather, a Slave to the Shamo, 4. Following Forced Evacuation, 5. A Long Absence from School, 6. My Father's Arrest, 7. An Adolescence Away from Home, 8. Realizing My Dream of Becoming a Foreman, 9. Lucky Is the One Who Dies First, 10. The Teachings of Chiri Mashiho, 11. Making the Acquaintance of Kindaichi Kyosuke, 12. Building the Museum of Ainu Cultural Resources, 13. As a Member of the Ainu People, Epilogue