The VA NetworkStories From The Space In Between
iqonic-layouts domain was triggered too early. This is usually an indicator for some code in the plugin or theme running too early. Translations should be loaded at the init action or later. Please see Debugging in WordPress for more information. (This message was added in version 6.7.0.) in /home/csgw8ic6a0dp/public_html/thevanetwork.org/wp-includes/functions.php on line 6121The VA NetworkSome stories move in breath, in smoke, in footprints left in sand. Others are etched into rock, held in ochre, mapped across the sky. And some – some are carried in ink, inscribed onto pages, waiting for the right hands to turn them, the right eyes to see.
returning story to where it belongs
Stories were never meant to be owned. They were never something to be hoarded, locked away behind paywalls, reduced to bestsellers and bottom lines. Story is not a product. It is a responsibility.
For as long as people have gathered, stories have moved between us – sung into the air, traced into the sand, carried in the memory of those who hold them sacred. They were never just words on a page; they were maps, instructions, agreements. They guided people through time, held the law of the land, kept everything in balance.
But somewhere along the way, story was taken. Extracted. Commodified. Turned into property, something to be bought and sold. The publishing industry, like so many industries before it, built itself on this taking. Taking knowledge. Taking language. Taking the authority to tell the story. And in doing so, something was broken.
VA Publishing is here to restore the balance.
It’s not about the What, but the How. Not the Things, but the Processes.
This is not just a publishing house. It is a relational space.
VA Publishing doesn’t just print books. It moves knowledge in right relation. Like the old ways of sharing story—where knowledge moved along songlines, carried by the right people, in the right way, at the right time—this space exists to ensure stories are told as they were meant to be told.
That means:
•Publishing Indigenous voices with integrity. Not just as content, but as living knowledge, still connected to the land, the language, and the people who hold it.
•Returning power to the storytellers. Writers and knowledge holders control their own narratives, deciding how their stories are shared and who has access to them.
•Ensuring stories give back. Through revenue-sharing models, mentorship, and funding initiatives, we ensure that storytelling does not extract but nourishes—returning benefit to Indigenous communities, not just once, but in ways that last.
•Building a library, not just selling books. This is not about mass production. This is about preservation. The works we publish are part of an ongoing movement to keep languages alive, uphold cultural knowledge, and pass wisdom forward in the right way.
•Moving beyond books. Stories live in many forms. VA Publishing works across print, digital, audio, and oral storytelling formats, ensuring knowledge moves in the ways that best serve the story itself.
Here, publishing is not a transaction. It is an act of responsibility.
tending the living fire.
WHY IT MATTERS: WHO HOLDS THE PEN SHAPES THE FUTURE
For too long, Indigenous voices have been silenced. Stories have been rewritten to fit someone else’s narrative. Language has been erased. Knowledge has been stripped from its context and repackaged as folklore, mythology—entertainment.
When people lose control of their stories, they lose control of their past. And when people lose control of their past, they lose control of their future.
Publishing is power.
When we write in our own voices, we restore balance.
When we publish in our own words, we break the cycle of misrepresentation.
When we control our own stories, we reclaim the right to be fully seen, fully heard, fully understood.
This is not just about books.
This is about keeping knowledge alive.
The fire is lit, the world is ready to listen.
This is a call to those who hold the stories.
To the writers. The elders. The storytellers who carry truth in their bones.
If you have a story to tell, let it be told the right way.
If you have wisdom to share, let it be held with care.
If you have a voice that has been silenced, let it rise like a fire that refuses to be put out.
VA Publishing exists for those who understand that storytelling is not a business – it is a sacred act.
For the voices that must be heard.
For the stories that must be carried forward.
For the next generations, who deserve to inherit their stories intact.
The embers are waiting. The fire is burning.
The world is ready to listen.
A Living Archive of Thought & Inquiry
These works are not just academic texts – they are offerings to the fire, carried forward so that knowledge does not stagnate but moves, grows, and returns to the people. Here, you’ll find a collection of deep inquiry, critical thought, and Indigenous-led research that challenges, disrupts, and reimagines the ways we come to know. From published articles to long-form essays, from the PhD thesis in progress to reflections that refuse to be bound by institutional walls – this is knowledge shared in right relation, accessible to all, held with care, and meant to be carried forward.
partners provide core funding, infrastructure, and strategic support, ensuring the VA Network thrives and expands. They are woven into the very foundation of this work, shaping the stories that are told and the impact that is made.
Supporting traditional ecological knowledge preservation and application
Funding community-led conservation efforts
Facilitating land-based education and cultural practices
Advocating for Indigenous land rights and sovereignty
Promoting sustainable resource management based on traditional practices
Guardians of the Fire
Major Partners
For those who walk beside us, carrying the weight of shared vision and responsibility. These partners provide core funding, infrastructure, and strategic support, ensuring the VA Network thrives and expands. They are woven into the very foundation of this work, shaping the stories that are told and the impact that is made.
As part of the One Fire Festival, we invite you to gather around a virtual campfire like no other. Our Campfire Sounds are more than just crackling embers and gentle winds; they are the harmonious rhythms of Indigenous artists’ worlds. These captivating audio landscapes are created by the artists themselves, who share their sacred fires burning on their ancestral lands. As you immerse yourself in these evocative sounds, you’ll be enveloped in the warmth of their stories and culture, forging a deep connection to the heart of Indigenous artistry. Join us for this unique fireside experience, where the flames dance to the beat of Indigenous wisdom, and the stories of their lands come alive
The VA Network acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country
throughout the world, & their connections to land, sea, & sky.
We pay our respects to Elders past & present, & extend that respect to all First Nations Peoples on whose land we live, connect, travel, create, & love.
We celebrate the diversity of all First Nations Peoples
& their stories reflected in their unique artistic practices.
Please join us in respecting the ongoing legacy of the first artists of this country, & all countries.
⏲ 1hr 15min
Environmentalism / Culture Change
Finding our way back to our role as custodians of creation.
At its core, The VA Network is about connections and celebrating the stories in the spaces in-between.
The VA Network is built on foundations of relation to one another, the more-than-human world, and
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