Semi-dormant volcanoes, bombing by the Japanese, fierce storms, isolation, high fuel costs, and bureaucratic harassment are some of the conditions peoples of the Aleutian village of Atka, Alaska, have had to contend with in years past. In this illustrated booklet, printed in both Western Aleut and English, Lydia and Moses Dirks, lifetime residents of Atka, recount happenings from years past. The short stories tell of such events as fishing, reindeer hunting, fox trapping, the art of basket weaving, and of a storm so fierce people thought their homes would be blown away. A theme of dissatisfaction with various government policies emerges from some of the narratives. One story tells of the use of the island as an air strip during World War II and the mess that was left behind when the strip was closed. It is mentioned that some people think the U.S. Navy is trying to force the people to leave the island and examples are given of some Navy actions that seemingly lend credence to that idea. The sea otter is described as a nuisance, protected by the government, yet so abundant that otters are stripping the area of food sources commonly used by the Aleut people. This document is intended for use in bilingual education instruction. (DS)