American Book Awards
1 appearances
-
Edition 24 (2003) Winner
Velma Wallis
ベルマ・ウォリス
Beruma Uorisu
Profile
- Gender
- Female
- Born
- 1960-01-01 （Near Fort Yukon, Alaska）
- Nationality
- United States
- Languages
- English, Gwich'in
- Residence History
- Fairbanks, Alaska → Near Fort Yukon, Alaska
Career
- Occupations
- novelist, writer
- Active Years
- 1993-
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | American Book Award | Raising Ourselves: A Gwich'in Coming of Age Story from the Yukon River | — | Before Columbus Foundation | 受賞 |
| 1993 | Western States Book Award | Two Old Women | — | Western States Book Awards | 受賞 |
American Book Award
2003
Work:
Raising Ourselves: A Gwich'in Coming of Age Story from the Yukon River
Organization:
Before Columbus Foundation
Result:
受賞
Western States Book Award
1993
Work:
Two Old Women
Organization:
Western States Book Awards
Result:
受賞
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Two Old Women: An Alaskan Legend of Betrayal, Courage and Survival
1993 Retold folktale / FictionA retelling based on a Gwich'in legend. Two elderly women left behind by their community must survive the harsh winter using their resourcefulness and resilience. Explores community, betrayal, and renewal.
survivalelderscommunityoral tradition
Translations
- Translated into 17 languages
Bird Girl and the Man Who Followed the Sun
1996 Children's literature / Retold folktaleA children's story based on Gwich'in traditions, focusing on adventure, learning, and the relationship between people and nature.
adventurenaturetradition
Raising Ourselves: A Gwich'in Coming of Age Story from the Yukon River
2003 Memoir / Traditional storiesA collection of coming-of-age stories and traditions from the Gwich'in of the Yukon River area, addressing identity and cultural continuity.
coming of agecultural transmissionidentity
Bibliography
- 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
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- oral, concise proseretellings rooted in indigenous oral tradition
- Recurring Motifs
- living with naturewisdom of elderscommunity bonds
Legacy
Her works, based on Gwich'in traditions, have been translated internationally; in particular, Two Old Women is widely used in educational contexts and cited in discussions of indigenous literature. She is regarded as an important figure in Native American writing.
In Popular Culture
- Two Old Women is frequently used in school curricula and read-aloud programs.
Trivia
- She has four children (three daughters and one son).
- Her books have been translated into 17 languages.
- Her birthplace was in a remote river-accessible area reachable only by boat, plane, snowmobile, or dogsled.