Simon J. Ortiz
Simon J. Ortiz, born on May 27, 1941, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, is a prominent Indigenous American author known for his poetry, fiction, and non-fiction that reflect the complexities of the Indigenous experience, particularly from the Acoma Pueblo perspective. Raised bilingual in Acoma and English, Ortiz's work addresses significant themes such as colonialism, environmental issues, technology, and cultural alienation. He served in the U.S. Army from 1962 to 1965 and later earned a Master of Fine Arts from the Iowa Writers Workshop. Ortiz has received numerous accolades, including the New Mexico Humanities Council Humanitarian Award and a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship.
His breakout poetry collection, "Going for the Rain" (1976), established him as a vital voice in Indigenous American literature, followed by notable works like "From Sand Creek: Rising in This Heart Which Is Our America" (1981) and "Woven Stone" (1992). Ortiz's writing is characterized by its plain yet musical language, mirroring Indigenous oral traditions and serving as a tool of resistance against cultural assimilation. His literary themes often explore the sacredness of land and the impact of capitalism on Indigenous communities, particularly regarding nuclear issues and the stereotype of the "drunk Indian." Ortiz’s contributions remain significant in the broader dialogue on identity, oppression, and the resilience of Indigenous cultures.
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Subject Terms
Simon J. Ortiz
- Born: May 27, 1941
- Birthplace: Albuquerque, New Mexico
Author Profile
The themes of colonialism, the nuclear age, technology, the environment, the Indigenous American resistance, and cultural alienation are heard clearly in the work of Simon Ortiz. Ortiz, who was raised bilingual in Acoma and English, has produced numerous volumes of poetry, ventured into fiction, served in the US Army from 1962 to 1965, earned a Master of Fine Arts from the prestigious Iowa Writers Workshop, and taught creative writing and Indigenous American literature. He has won several awards and fellowships, including the New Mexico Humanities Council Humanitarian Award and a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship. Ortiz and his work speak as the voice of an Acoma Pueblo from a distinct culture yet dramatize human issues common to all.
Going for the Rain (1976) was Ortiz's breakout collection. His most prominent works include the Pushcart Prize-winning volume From Sand Creek: Rising in This Heart Which Is Our America (1981) and Woven Stone (1992). Although best known for poetry, Ortiz has also written a prose work, short-story collections, nonfiction essays, and multilingual children's books. He has also contributed to anthologies of work. He was professor emeritus of American and Native American literature at the University of Toronto and an Emeritus Regents Professor of English and American Indian Studies at Arizona State University.
Mirroring the speech rhythms of the Indigenous American oral tradition, Ortiz’s verse is plain yet musical. As a spokesperson for an Indigenous American culture, Ortiz uses language as a tool of resistance, just as he says Indigenous peoples always have as they struggle to maintain their identities when they are acculturated into a dominating society. His literature effectively combines political and social awareness, embodies cultural rituals and values, and is a vehicle of spiritual expression.
After high school, Ortiz worked at Kerr-McGee, a uranium mining company he would draw upon in his later writing. Nuclear themes in Ortiz’s poems, such as “It Was That Indian,” depict the capitalistic exploitation that brought uranium mines and processing plants—and contamination from radioactive waste—to Indigenous American lands. Ortiz depicts the land as sacred, with technology as an enemy threatening to separate humans from their spiritual connection with nature and the environment. His From Sand Creek stands as a statement against oppression and racism. Other themes in Ortiz’s works include loss of identity and alienation. In “Woman Singing,” Ortiz portrays the lasting “drunk Indian” stereotype, an unfortunate reminder of the destruction and alienation that alcohol has caused since the Europeans introduced Indigenous Americans to it centuries ago. Here again, Ortiz draws on personal experience, having abused alcohol in the 1960s and early 1970s.
Although mainly retired from public life, Ortiz's work is a vital contribution to the catalog of Indigenous American literature. Ortiz's literature embodies themes and qualities unique to his experience and culture, but it is also universal, speaking for America and humanity. Akin to the oral tradition of his culture, his poetry authenticates the Indigenous Americans' struggle against colonization, alienation, and oppression as they struggle to maintain their identity.
Bibliography
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Miller, Zara. "The Tragic Fate of Poetry — A Review of 'From Sand Creek' by Simon J. Ortiz." Tint Journal, 27 June 2022, tintjournal.com/review/the-tragic-fate-of-poetry-a-review-of-from-sand-creek-by-simon-j-ortiz. Accessed 12 Oct. 2024.
Rader, Dean. "Luci Tapahonso and Simon Ortiz: Allegory, Symbol, Language, Poetry." Southwest Review, vol. 82, no. 2 Spring 1997, pp. 75–92.
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Thompson, Jonathan. "Simon J. Ortiz Poetry Is a Road Map to Indian Country." High Country News, 5 May 2014, www.hcn.org/blogs/goat/the-work-of-simon-j-ortiz-is-a-poetic-road-map-to-indian-country. Accessed 12 Oct. 2024.
Wiget, Andrew. Simon Ortiz. Boise State UP, 1986.
Wiget, Andrew, editor. Handbook of Native American Literature. Routledge, 2016.