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Luci Tapahonso shares vision of hope
By Benjamin Nestler
Whalesong Staff
Beautiful imagery
and language combine with Luci Tapahonso’s voice to produce
vivid images that in one instant can bring laughter, but in another
relate the sobering reality of the difficult times shared by her
people, the Navajo Nation. She read poetry, shared from her life
experiences and sang in Navajo during the Evening at Egan Lecture
Series on Friday, Nov. 22.
Speaking straight from the heart with grace and sureness,
she relates stories from her heritage as a Navajo woman. One poem
about the American flag was truly moving because of the wide range
of feelings evoked by her careful use of language. The story is
about the reality of the hardships a Navajo woman faces because
of the flag, and how Tapahonso as a little girl could understand
these feelings, yet still believe in the great ideas that our country
and our flag stand for. The tone was one of perseverance, faith
and hope; that the joy of life no matter how difficult is worth
any price. The enduring strength of the Navajo people shines forth
in her prose and fills me with a deep sense of respect and wonder
for these amazing people.
Tapahanso began reading and memorizing poetry at a young
age. She did not come to realize that she could write her own until
she took a poetry class. With her first poem she impressed her professor
enough that the professor told her, “If you don’t get
this published, I’ll get it published.” Thus beginning
a wonderful career in poetry.
Currently, Tapahonso teaches poetry and American Indian
literature at the University of Arizona. She has authored five books
of poetry and fiction and has been published in many different journals
and magazines.
We had a great turnout of over 100 people at the Evening
at Egan Poetry Reading on Friday, and if you didn’t get the
chance to go, you missed out on a great evening. Tapahanso has a
way of using the phrase “let me tell you…” to give
you the feeling she is speaking directly to you.
She ended her presentation with a vision of hope in
the form of an Episcopalian prayer called “The prayer of the
people.” Tapahonso truly has a gift for telling the story how
it is. No matter how great the struggle, something better is on
the way. There is always hope.
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