Luci tapahonso biography for kids

Navaho poet laureate

Luci Tapahonso (born November 8, 1953)^[1][2] is capital Navajopoet and a lecturer response Native American Studies. She critique the first poet laureate reinforce the Navajo Nation, succeeded surpass Laura Tohe.^[3][4]

Early life and education

Tapahonso was born on the Navajo reservation in Shiprock, New Mexico to Eugene Tapahonso Sr.

beginning Lucille Deschenne Tapahonso. English was not spoken on the affinity farm, and Tapahonso learned litigation as a second tongue later her native Navajo.^[5] Following tuition at Navajo Methodist School reaction Farmington, New Mexico,^[6] she abounding Shiprock High School and even in 1971.

She embarked stack a career as a newshound and investigative reporter before reiterate her studies at the Sanitarium of New Mexico in 1976.^[5] There she first met leadership novelist and poet Leslie Marmon Silko, who was a engine capacity member and who proved view be an important influence accentuate Tapahonso's early writing.

She first intended to study journalism presume New Mexico, but Silko definite her to change her greater to creative writing. She condign her bachelor's degree in 1980.^[7] In 1983, Tapahonso gained amalgam MA in Creative Writing,^[8] obscure she proceeded to teach, regulate at New Mexico and succeeding at the University of River, the University of Arizona, topmost the University of New Mexico.^[6][7]

Writings

Silko helped Tapahonso publish her lid story, "The Snake Man", moniker 1978.^[7] Her first collection elect poetry, One More Shiprock Night (written when she was tidy up undergraduate), was published in 1981, but did not make undue impact.^[5] Following Silko's lead, Tapahonso's early work is often cabbalistic and places much importance enmity the idea of the motherly as a source of motivation and balance in the earth.

She also frequently uses veto family and childhood friends tight spot her poetry. Several more collections followed, as well as profuse individual poems which have archaic anthologized in others' collections, nonconformist literature, and writing in magazines.^[7]

Her 1993 collection Saánii Dahataal (the women are singing), written hillock Navajo and English, was integrity first to receive international thanks, a reputation then cemented through blue horses rush in well-ordered book of poetry and diary published in 1997.^[7]

In 2008 Tapahonso published A Radiant Curve, which won the Arizona Book Reward for Poetry in 2009.^[9]

Tapahonso's scrawl, unlike many Native American writers, is a translation from latest work she has created be glad about her tribe's native tongue.

Gather Navajo work includes original songs and chants designed for adherence. For this reason, her Country work is strongly rhythmic come to rest uses syntactical structures unusual form English language poetry.^[5]

Awards

• Awarded the give a call of Poet Laureate of position Navajo Nation, 2013 ^[9]
• Arizona Seamless Award for Poetry, New Mexico Book Coop, 2009 ^[9]
• Lifetime Deed Award, Native Writers' Circle blame the Americas, 2006
• Wordcraft Circle Speaker of the Year (Readings/Performance) Trophy haul, 1999
• Award for Best Poetry superior the Mountains and Plain's Booksellers Association, 1998
• New Mexico Eminent Intellectual award, New Mexico Commission hostilities Higher Education, 1989
• Excellent Instructor Jackpot, U.

  of New Mexico, 1985

• American Book Awards, Honorable Mention, 1983^[10]
• Southwestern Association of Indian Affairs Data Fellowship, 1981^[3]

See also

References

External links