Joy Harjo is a gifted poet. She waws born in 1951 to her mother of mixed Cherokee and French descent and her father of who is Muscogee Creek, the tribe in which Harjo is enrolled. Joy Harjo initially was interested in painting and graduated from the Institute of American Indian Arts in 1968. Harjo says she struggled initially with writing because of the imperialistic characteristics of the English language. She too classes at the University of New Mexico to later become a writer. This is where she began writing poetry about her experiences as a Native American. Harjo received her masters from the University of New Mexico and her M.F.A from the University of Iowa. She then began reading poetry from American and international poets to expand her knowledge of poetry around the world. Joy Harjo has written seven poetry collections and two chapbooks, her most well known being In Mad Love and War.
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Harjo's collection, Poet Warrior focuses on discussing the differences between tribes. For many people, Native American is one identity and people do not recognize that there are different tribes with their own cultures and identities. This collection looks at these differences to help educate the general public on these differences. In the collection, Harjo describes her childhood in the Muscogee Creek Nation and writes about her family influence. Paul Kaplan from Harvard review says, "Harjo's honest and straightforward tone lends the book a refreshing casualness" which entices the reader into her chronological vignettes.
Works Cited to write later.
I thought your blog was very nicely done! I liked that you added the fact that many people think of Native Americans as one, but there are many different tribes made of them. It is important to know that Native Americans have different cultures within their own tribe. It is interesting that Harjo struggled with writing initially because of the English language. I like that she incorporates the history behind Native American tribes to educate people that don’t know about the traditions.
ReplyDeleteI am interested in Harjo's emphasis on the differences between tribes. I wonder how much of it comes from the fact that her parents are from two different tribes. You mentioned her early struggles with English. I wonder if she wrote in her native language before learning English. I don't know if those poems would be published, because so much of the meaning in poetry can be lost or skewed when translated.
ReplyDeleteI think that your blog is written very nicely! I am very interested in reading Harjo's books. I think that it is very important that you added the detail of people thinking that Native Americans as one, but they are all from different tribes. I enjoyed reading your blog about Joy Harjo's.
ReplyDeleteI can really resonate with Joy as I too have a fascination with poetry and at a young age struggled to learn to read and write as she struggled to initially in writing. The poet warrior doesn't sound interesting to me as it sounds like it has to do with politics within tribes and so on, however I value your time spent on this blog and will look more into Joy.
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