In the prehistoric coastal Chumash Indian village of Mishopshno, life follows the rhythms of nature, cultural tradition, and the joys and sorrows of individual circumstance. Over the course of a year, members of the community hunt and fish, celebrate, mourn, gamble, woo, tell stories, and undertake a perilous trading trip to the off-shore islands. Aleqwel, a young paint maker, has new responsibilities after his father is killed by a grizzly bear, while young love is blossoming between his sister and his best friend. The village leader faces a diplomatic crisis that may lead to war, while his...