Living Legacies: Native Authors on Memoir and Memory

From the very first contact, Indigenous people have been spoken about more than they have been heard. Early "autobiographies" of Native individuals were often penned by outsiders, distorting the essence of the genre by denying autonomy to the very subjects for whom autobiography—by definition—should uplift. In recent years, seminal works of First Nations storytelling have come to the forefront, and this panel features three recent additions to the Native voices now taking center stage to tell their own stories. Métis storyteller and Montana Poet Laureate Chris LaTray combines diligent research and compelling conversations in Becoming Little Shell, his story of discovery and embracing his Indigenous identity by joining the Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians in their 158-year-long struggle for federal recognition. Essayist Terra Trevor turns to memoir in We Who Walk the Seven Ways, which recounts how a circle of Native women elders embraced and guided her through the seven cycles of life, lifting her from grief and instructing her in living following a difficult loss. Published poet and Mvskoke citizen Jennifer Foerster is one of the editors of This Music, a memoir written by—but not finished by—the late Janice Gould, who was a Koyunkowi poet and educator. Former Kansas poet laureate and founding board member of Indigenous Nations Poet Denise Low will moderate this insightful discussion featuring contemporary Indigenous perspectives on the importance of having your story told in your own voice.