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publishing
Some 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.
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.
