Indigenous Authors Discuss the Connection between Land and Nature
Getting yourself acquainted with some top-tier Indigenous writers could just be the literary adventure you've been seeking!
From our epic landscapes to favorite local trails, besotted with nature, we critically appreciate Native American tenacity and their contributions to society's cultural tapestry.
Check out these inspiring writers, from renowned bestsellers and award-winning poets to rising stars having roots right here in the AMC area. Although the outdoors doesn't always top their literary agendas, each author masterfully intertwines themes of nature, land, and the indigenous experience.
Grab a book on your next post-trail relaxation retreat, anytime of the year.
Robin Wall Kimmerer
Robin Wall Kimmerer is more than a writer; she is a botanist, researcher, and enrolled member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation. She is the author of two acclaimed books, Gathering Moss and Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants. Embrace the symphony of longstanding indigenous traditions and modern science as Kimmerer pens stories that foster a deep-seated connection between humans and the natural world.
"Knowing that the earth loves us in return, transforms our relationship from an one-way street into a sacred bond." - Braiding Sweetgrass
Joy Harjo
Did you realize the U.S. had no indigenous National Poet Laureate until only a few years ago? Meet Joy Harjo, the unprecedented trailblazer who made history in 2019, becoming the first Native American poet laureate. Harjo, a Mvskoke Nation member, has published nine original poetry books, with An American Sunrise being her most recent. In addition, she has authored a memoir, two children's books, and embarked on a world tour as a saxophonist.
"The earth is leaning sideways / And a song is emerging from the floods / And fires. Urgent tendrils lift toward the sun." - "Singing Everything" in An American Sunrise
Louise Erdrich
Louise Erdrich, one of the most revered American authors, pronounced her crypto-dentity among the Turtle Mountain Chippewas. A significant portion of Erdrich's books take place in the American Midwest; however, her 2005 novel, The Painted Drum, is set amidst New Hampshire's enchanting forests and mountains. The book narrates the journey of an Ojibwe woman named Faye, who uncovers a traditional painted drum while appraising an estate. This find prompts her and her mother to make the arduous trek back to North Dakota to reunite the drum with its rightful owner and retrieve the drum's captivating history. As Erdrich skillfully employs alternate perspectives and settings, she weaves a multi-generational epic.
"Ravens are the birds I'll miss most when I die. If only the darkness into which we must look were composed of the black light of their limber intelligence. If only we did not have to die at all. Instead, become ravens." - The Painted Drum
Morgan Talty
Recently published, Talty comes from the Penobscot Indian Island Reservation, a serene island nestled on the Penobscot River of Maine. Talty's debut novel, Night of the Living Rez, debuted in the summer of 2022 and unveils a string of interconnected short stories about life in "the Rez" and as a citizen of the Penobscot Nation. His prose masterfully combines tales of tribulations, melancholy, and laughter.
Talty currently serves as a professor at the Stonecoast MFA program of the University of Southern Maine.
"The roads on the rez were quiet, trees bending under the weight of the snow, and when I passed the frozen swamp, a voice moaned out. I stopped walking. Nothing, so I kept on going on the sparkling road until I heard it again." - Night of the Living Rez
Noé Álvarez
As the son of an indigenous father and Mexican mother, both immigrants to the U.S. from Mexico, Álvarez shares a unique perspective. His first book, Spirit Run: A 6,000-Mile Marathon Through North America's Stolen Land, recounts his adventure with Peace and Dignity Journeys, an intense relay event where indigenous/First Nations runners travel across North America, beginning in Canada and concluding in Guatemala. The narrative encapsulates themes of both adventure and the difficulties the modern indigenous community faces while restorative healing can be found in the beauty of the great outdoors.
Spirit Run earned the title of a New York Times Book Review Editor's Choice.
"On the run is where I need to be. Out there, fully immersed in a new kind of chaos, in the wild, alongside Native runners, and relearning to be myself." - Spirit Run
Delve into the literary world as you discover these exceptional authors, combining the realms of science and environmental science with captivating narratives about lifestyle, culture, and the indigenous experience. Robbin Wall Kimmerer, Joy Harjo, Louise Erdrich, Morgan Talty, and Noé Álvarez have all penned compelling books perfect for any bookshelf or post-trail relaxation retreat, offering a rich blend of nature-themed stories and insights into the Indigenous perspective.
