​corn mountain photo from a:shiwi.org​

April 11, 2026

Spring greetings, dear friends. I know it’s a tough world out there but we have poetry here. Come in, the stew is on!

I am a rung on a ladder. Inside me, are ladders of ancient buildings.*

Have a look at new writing from wondrous writers from the A:shiwi community (Zuni pueblo) on the Ancestral Nature blog. This is the first group of writers - with more to come.
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​Valarie Bellson​

​Tiyana Haloo​

​Chris Hustito​

​Diana Kostelecky​

​Vanessa Yuselew​

Down by the pond, I pass the smell of dinner cooking.*

The work emerged from a series of Faraway Is Close workshops I facilitated at
A:shiwi Tribal College last year.

The river is singing I:wiche mana nap she*

Special thanks to late great Hayes Lewis, a dear friend whose inspired support made these workshops possible.

Walking, we saw a dance of greens along what used to be a thriving lake.*

It's hard to write just one sentence about Hayes - but for now, I will and send deep gratitude to his persistent encouragement of my creativity and the creativity of his community.
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The people called the A:shiwi shape wondrous creations with wood, stone and silver.*​
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with gratitude

Shebana
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(PS: I'm writing all formal and all but I tell you, my heart is just bursting to see this writing, this sharing, this being, these writers who have kept at it, taking their creativity to heart.)

‘Di:s ali chi: k’ya:bal ido, da’chiłchi dene:a.

O to eat chile stew*

*all lines from their work

Shebana Coelho

contact me at info@shebanacoelho.com

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