Chris La Tray facts for kids

Chris La Tray, born on April 4, 1967, is a talented writer from Missoula, Montana. He is a proud member of the Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Montana. He also identifies with his Métis heritage. His first full book, One-Sentence Journal, won the 2018 Montana Book Award. It also received a 2019 High Plains Book Award. In 2021, he published Descended From a Travel-worn Satchel, a book of poetry. His book Becoming Little Shell came out in 2024 and won a 2025 Pacific Northwest Book Award. Chris La Tray was chosen as Montana’s poet laureate for 2023-2024.

Early Life and Heritage

Chris La Tray grew up in Frenchtown, Montana. His grandparents identified as Chippewa people. However, his father did not talk about the family's Native American background.

Chris knew about his Chippewa roots from a young age. But he only learned about his Métis and Little Shell heritage in his early 40s. This is a common experience for people with Little Shell ancestry.

His Métis great-great-grandfather was an interpreter for the US Army. He knew many languages. These included French, English, Cree, Chippewa (Ojibwe), Dakota, and Crow (Apsalooke).

Writing and Publications

Chris La Tray shares his thoughts in a bi-weekly newsletter. It is called "An Irritable Métis" and is published on Substack.

Before writing full-length books, Chris wrote many articles. He also published short stories and took photographs. He was a regular writer for the Missoula Independent newspaper.