Heid E. Erdrich facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Heid E. Erdrich
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Heid E. Erdrich at the 2018 Texas Book Festival
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| Born | November 26, 1963 |
| Occupation | Writer |
| Nationality | Turtle Mountain Ojibwe, American |
| Education | Dartmouth College (BA) |
| Alma mater | Johns Hopkins University, master's degrees |
| Relatives | Louise Erdrich (sister) |
Heid E. Erdrich, born on November 26, 1963, is a talented writer, poet, and editor. She is a member of the Ojibwe people from the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians.
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Early Life and Learning
Heid Ellen Erdrich grew up in Wahpeton, North Dakota. She was born in Breckenridge, Minnesota. Heid is one of seven children in her family. Her sister, Louise Erdrich, is also a famous Native writer. Their parents taught at a school for the Turtle Mountain Band. Their grandfather, Patrick Gourneau, was a tribal leader. He worked to protect the rights of his people.
Heid's College Journey
Heid Erdrich went to Dartmouth College. She earned a degree in Literature and Creative Writing in 1986. Later, she earned two master's degrees from Johns Hopkins University. One was for poetry, and the other was for fiction. She also has a PhD in Native American Literature and Writing.
Heid Erdrich's Writing Career
Heid E. Erdrich has written many books of poetry. Some of her well-known poetry collections include National Monuments (2008) and Curator of Ephemera at the New Museum for Archaic Media (2017). Both of these books won the Minnesota Book Awards. She also writes short stories and non-fiction.
Video-Poems and Collaborations
More recently, Erdrich has created "video-poems." These are short films that combine poetry with visuals. She often works with artist Jonathan Thunder on these projects. Her video-poems explore important topics for Indigenous people. They have won awards at festivals.
Some of her video-poem titles are:
- Od'e Miikan-Heart Line (Moose version)
- It Was Cloudy
- Undead Faerie Goes Great with India Pale Ale
- Lexiconography 1
- Pre-Occupied
- Indigenous Elvis Works the Medicine Line
You can find some of her video-poems online: Indigenous Elvis and Moving Poems.
Supporting Other Native Writers
Besides her own writing, Erdrich helps other Native American authors. She has been a guest editor for the Yellow Medicine Review. This is a journal that features Indigenous literature and art. She also helped edit a book of writings by Native American women.
In 2018, she published New Poets of Native Nations. This book features Native poets who started publishing after the year 2000. It was an important book because it was the first major collection of US Native poetry since 1988.
Promoting Native Languages
Heid Erdrich and her sister Louise started The Birchbark House fund. This fund helps support Native writing and helps keep Native languages alive. Erdrich also leads Wiigwaas Press. This publisher creates books and films in the Ojibwe language.
Poet Laureate of Minneapolis
On December 19, 2023, Heid Erdrich was named the first poet laureate for the City of Minneapolis. This is a special honor that recognizes her contributions to poetry.
Museum Work
Heid Erdrich also works as a curator for museum exhibits. A curator helps organize and present art and artifacts. She has curated exhibits in the Twin Cities area and across the nation. She is currently a guest curator at Amherst College's Mead Museum. Her work often highlights the art and voices of Indigenous women.
Awards and Teaching
Heid Erdrich has received many awards for her work. These include a National Poetry Series award and two Minnesota Book Awards. She also received a Native Arts and Cultures National Fellowship.
Erdrich has taught writing at several universities. She taught at Johns Hopkins University and the University of St. Thomas. She also teaches in the low-residency MFA Creative Writing program at Augsburg University. This program helps aspiring writers develop their skills. She has also taught workshops for Native writers at Turtle Mountain Community College.
