Women’s History Month Celebrates Georgiana Valoyce-Sanchez’ New Book: A Light To Do Shellwork By

Photo credit: Sergio Valenzuela of @MuwičNatives

Georgiana Valoyce-Sanchez is a descendant of Islander and Coastal Chumash Peoples from her father’s lineage and O’odham (Akimel and Tohono) from her mother’s lineage, Georgiana is a voice we in the Native community long for. She cuts through the darkness of these times and gives us a light to find our way through it.  

An enrolled member of the Coastal Band of the Chumash Nation, she’s lovingly referred to as “Auntie Georgie” by many communities. But Georgiana is not just a revered elder –  

“She’s a stable force of love, wisdom, and light. She’s a gifted storyteller and reminds us of ways in which to ‘return home’ to oneself and community when lost. Never through negative judgement but rather through a prism of colors when we’ve somehow defaulted to a depressive stuckness in a monochromatic existence. To sit with Auntie Georgie around the sacred fire or the kitchen table; it’s old school medicine for the heart and soul. We are so blessed to have her as our Chairwoman of Wishtoyo’s Chumash Women’s Elders Council.” --Luhui Isha, Associate Director, Wishtoyo Foundation 

Georgiana taught at Cal State Long Beach for 27 years. During her time there she designed 2 classes: “World Genocide: An American Indian Perspective” with graduate student Anna Nazarian-Peters, and “Conduits of Californian Indian Cultures.” She was the Board Member of the California Indian Storytelling Association and continues to be an advocate for Californian Indian Languages and sacred sites. Her poem “I Saw My Father Today” is on display at the Embarcadero Muni/BART station as one of 12 poems cast in bronze and placed prominently in San Francisco. 

Georgiana’s gift for detailing scenes with beautiful delicacy and setting landscapes vivid in color makes her literary works as precious as the rainbowed abalone shells that one finds walking along the shore; her work is a treasure to be held tight.  

“... a beautiful masterwork on how to take care of the light of knowledge given to her by family, by the lands and the waters... Each shell-poem reminds us of the original purpose of poetry, to function as blessing songs, as memory holders, or observations for what is humbly important but might go unseen unless given a place to live in a poem...With this collection of poetry, you will make it home." --Joy Harjo (Muscogee Creek Nation), 23rd U.S. Poet Laureate

Rooted in her love for her family, Chumash and O’odham cultures, she greets life’s truths head-on, unflinching in her boldness but with just as much tenderness and care. She takes our hand, a firm yet gentle grip, to step into her world, show us these truths, but reminds us to notice the beauty along the way. She imparts to us her signature medicine of hope, encouragement, and love – a testament to her expansive heart and boundless spirit.  

Visit the link below to get your copy!  

https://scarlettanager.com/a-light-to-do-shellwork-by-poems-by-georgiana-valoyce-sanchez/