This year during Inlonshka I was in St. Paul, Minn., at an In-Na-Po retreat. In-Na-Po or Indigenous Native Poets was created by Kimberly Blaeser, a former Wisconsin Poet Laureate and professor who fosters growth and community among Native poets. Blaeser has gathered funding and a powerful board, including Osage poet Elise Paschen to bring emerging poets together with accomplished faculty mentors.
For a week this June, Native poets from nations across the continent, Hawaii, Alaska, and Guam focused on Language Back. Last year, when Osage poet Aimee Inglis was a fellow, the group gathered in upper Wisconsin to consider Land Back. This year the theme was Language Back. Poets with different levels of proficiency were encouraged to embrace their languages. We shared poems that wove experiences with language onto the page and talked about language programs across the country.
Poets discussed how they ensure the Native words they write are appropriate, and also, how their writing has changed as their understanding of the language deepened. An Ojibwe poet considered how to preserve dialects from different districts, as well as the specific ways different families speak. A Diné poet discussed their research and their review of teachings they’d received as they decided which words to use. A Hawaiian poet related conversations with a publisher about whether to include a glossary in a new book.
These questions come up for Osages as we revitalize and preserve our Osage language and bring it with us into our lives. Osage author Dr. Jean Dennison takes up language preservation in her new book, “Vital Relations.”
“Vital Relations: How the Osage Nation Moves Indigenous Nationhood into the Future,” published by The University of North Carolina Press this year describes the process of turning a tribal council into a three-part government and how we work to protect and further our sovereignty. Dennison, a professor at the University of Washington, conducted interviews with Osage leaders and culture bearers for over twenty years in some cases, tracing the Osage journey into this new country. She brings a unique perspective, a front-row seat, she calls it.
In “Colonial Entanglement: Constituting a Twenty-First Century Osage Nation” (2012), Dennison described the structures in colonialism designed to “deny Native peoples a political future.” “Vital Relations” shows the paths we have taken forward. It documents how Osages have worked to further our self-governance, health, land base, and language preservation.
Describing the hostile terrain of federal policy, the BIA, and state bureaucracy, she discusses strategies that have overcome obstacles, the challenges that remain, and the ongoing debates about how best to proceed. The book functions as an inspiring pep talk. We can see what we’ve achieved and where we hope to go. Her careful citations are a gift, bringing us what feels like a careful family history.
At In-Na-Po, I spoke with Dakota Elder Glen Wasicuna and his wife, Gwen Westerman (Cherokee and Dakota) a faculty member, about familiar words I heard in a blessing he offered. Dakota and Osage have a shared background. As we compared words that were similar, it was like finding a relative. For Wasicuna, who has taught the Dakota language for decades, one of the strongest factors in what he called language death was fear. “We’ve got to move beyond that,” he said. Good advice for people who dream of being poets and writers, too.
Visit In-Na-Po for upcoming readings. Keep an eye on next year’s retreat; the application window is Jan. 1st through Valentine’s Day. Fellowships include tuition and travel costs. To learn more, sign up for the newsletter. Consider donating to support Indigenous arts at www.indigenousnationspoets.org
