native innovation

Native Innovation – Indigenous American Poetry in the 21st Century at Poet’s House

Poets:
Sherwin Bitsui
Joseph Bruchac
Natalie Diaz
Joy Harjo
Cedar Sigo
Orlando White
Karenne Wood
and others

Books:
Reinventing the Enemy’s Language
From the Belly of My Beauty

Poems:
Sure You Can Ask Me a Personal Question (Diane Burns)

Elders:
Vi Hilbert *compiler of dictionary, lushootseed language
Hubert McCord *mohave bird song singer

Quotes:
“…something moving through the dark… and it’s compelling” (Harjo)

“what is native?” (Diaz)

“laughter… it opens… all different things can fly out or fly through” (Harjo)

“unlatching the gate and letting all the little animals come out” (Diaz)

“in native language you center yourself in action” (Wood)

“my grandmother didn’t speak English” (Bitsui)

“we have three speakers left in our community” (Diaz)

“you have to invent words” (Wood, regarding repatriation of language)

“learn” (air quotes) (Bitsui)

“one of the last strongholds of language” (Diaz, regarding four day funeral process)

“museumed, dioramaed” (Bitsui)

“Nothing was discovered / everything was already loved” (Wood)