Modern America, 1914 - present |
Joy Harjo, 1951- presentBy Vonti McRaeStudent, University of
North Carolina at Pembroke
Some of her poetic themes emphasize reasons Indians drink and why they have difficulties controlling the habit. In 1976 Harjo graduated from the University of New Mexico with a B.A. in Poetry. She earned an M.F.A. from Iowa University in creative writing in 1978. After developing her skills to write poetry she began to use the beauty of words to her advantage. In 1975 The Last Song was published and its contents brought together ideas that survival depends on one's environment. She believes that Native Americans must look within themselves in order to make it in life. Harjo wants all humanity to "use the power of generosity and love to overcome distrust and enmity," rather than the overwhelming force of hatred (AIB 139). In "White Bear," from She Had Some Horses (1983) a woman stops in the corrugated tunnel before boarding a flight to Albuquerque. Harjo captures the imagery of being stuck between leaving and staying with the use of words. She connects the white bear moving cautiously through an arctic night with the woman who is scared to board the plane. It is like both man and beast move together as one. Their intuitions are keyed up and they both can feel a tragedy looming overhead. Ms. Harjo has the ability to make the reader not only feel emotionally connected with the characters but visualize each scenario in their minds eye. Her poems deal with Native American history, issues concering women, alcoholism, poverty and other social and personal issues. Some critics believe that she attempts to be a representative for too many causes. These criticisms have not deterred her from becoming even more involved in the public eye. Harjo has not limited herself to just writing poetry, instead she has been able to expand her views using other outlets, such as music and songs. In 1978 she returned to the Institute of American Indian Arts as an instructor. She even studied filmmaking at the Anthropology film center in 1992, wrote childrens books, and currently plays the saxophone with her band, Poetic Justice. Ms. Harjo is a woman of diverse trades who learned a long time ago never to settle for less. Since 1975 she has written important works such as What Moon Drove Me to This, Secrets from the Center of the World, In Mad Love and War, The Woman Who Fell From the Sky, and Fishing. Each piece stems from a facet of her personal knowledge of this world. Many believe Harjo tries to stay attuned to her surroundings.
She views the world as being one with nature and that the environment should
be respected by everyone who lives in it. For example, Helen Jarskoski,
professor of English and Comparative Literature at California State University
states: " Her poetry embraces the natural world and draws images, often
dreamlike, from the iconography of Native traditions" (138).
Bibliography This
World Wide Web page is an Internet Public Library run by librarians.
It offers a brief history on Joy Harjo and a detailed list on other online
resources about her. The Internet Public Libraries main focus is
to aid those who wish to seek valid information on a multitude of topics.
This
World Wide Web Page features brief biographies of Native Peoples throughout
North America. It has been organized and staffed by Native Americans and
Canadians. They are a non-profit corporation that not only publishes excerpts
of authors’ works but also a magazine that gives Native Americans a voice.
Bataille M., Gretchen, Native American Women, New York: Garland Publishing, 1993. p.105. Champagne, Duane, the North American Almanac, Michigan: Gale Research Inc., 1994. p. 759 & 1068 Gale
Research Inc published The Native North American Almanac in 1994.
Editor Duane Champagne teaches at the University of California, Los Angeles.
He received a postdoctoral award from the Rockefeller Foundation while
participating in fieldwork in the Northern Cheyenne area in Montana. Dr.
Champagne seeks to understand the Native Americans' transition in society
to a European influence.
Harjo, Joy, She Had Some Horses, New York: Thunder's Mouth Press, 1983. p. 27. Klein T. Barry, Reference Encyclopedia of the American Indian, 8th ed. New York: Todd Publications, 1998. p. 577. Malinowski, Sharon, Notable Native Americans, Detroit: International Thomson Publishing Company, 1995. p. 7 &178-9. Published
in 1995, Notable Native Americans, covers a huge amount of biographical
information on more than "two hundred and sixty-five notable Native North
American men and women." (7) This resource offers narrative essays, photographs
or illustrations of Native Americans from all backgrounds. An advisory
board was assembled to assist in the selection process. Each selected
entrant was contacted so that information would be as accurate as possible.
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Major Works
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1951: born in Tulsa, Oklahoma
Contact Information Joy Harjo
Work # (505) 897-9092 |