Velma Wallis

AmericanLiterary FictionHistorical FictionFamily Sagab. 1960

Velma Wallis is a Gwich'in Athabascan author born in 1960 in Fort Yukon, Alaska. Raised in a remote village, she is one of thirteen children. After her father's death when she was thirteen, she left school to help her mother. She later earned her GED and lived in a trapping cabin, honing her survival skills. Her writing often draws on Athabascan legends and her experiences growing up in Alaska, exploring themes of survival, identity, and cultural resilience. Her books have been translated into 17 languages.

Awards

['American Book Award (2003)', 'Western States Book Award (1993)', 'Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association Book Award (1994)', 'Before Columbus Foundation Award (2003)']

Notable Works

['Two Old Women: An Alaskan Legend of Betrayal, Courage and Survival', 'Bird Girl and the Man Who Followed the Sun', "Raising Ourselves: A Gwich'in Coming of Age Story from the Yukon River"]