Henry Real Bird facts for kids
Henry Real Bird (born July 24, 1948) is a talented poet and a proud member of the Crow Nation. He is known for his unique blend of cowboy life, Crow traditions, and the beauty of Montana in his writing.
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Early Life and Inspiration
Henry Real Bird grew up on the Crow Reservation in Montana. His grandparents raised him on their ranch. When he started first grade, he only spoke the Crow language. This language became a very important part of his poetry.
During college, Henry was a saddle bronc rider. This is a rodeo sport where riders try to stay on a bucking horse. In 1969, he had an accident. He was thrown from a horse and hurt his hip. This injury changed his path. He said it helped him move from the physical world of rodeo to the spiritual world of writing.
After his injury, Henry started reading many famous poets. He read works by Longfellow and Edgar Allan Poe. These writers inspired him greatly. He continued to compete in rodeos until 1980, but the pain from his injury made him stop. Later, he earned a bachelor's degree in elementary education. He also received a master's degree from Montana State University-Billings.
A Poet and Laureate
Henry Real Bird has written many books. These include six collections of stories, four poetry books, and twelve children's books. He even illustrated his children's books himself!
He is a well-known cowboy poet. Cowboy poets share stories and poems about ranching and cowboy life. Henry performs his work every year at the Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Elko, Nevada. The National Cowboy Hall of Fame gave him the Western Heritage Award. This award recognized his poetry, which combines cowboy life, horsemanship, and Crow culture.
In 2009, the Governor of Montana chose Henry Real Bird as the third Poet Laureate of Montana. A Poet Laureate is a special poet who represents their state. In 2010, as the Poet Laureate, Henry went on an amazing journey. He rode his horse 415 miles to give out books of poetry to people.
Supporting Crow Youth and Culture
Henry Real Bird cares deeply about education for Crow youth. He also works hard to keep Crow traditions alive. He has been a reading teacher for elementary students. This helped him understand the challenges Indigenous children face in public schools.
He has held many important roles. He worked as a coordinator for Project Head Start. He also supervised language arts at St. Xavier Indian Mission. He planned summer programs for youth on the Crow reservation. He even served as the president of Little Big Horn College, which is on the reservation.
Henry helped create "The Indian Reading Series." This program helps with reading and language development. It is used on twelve Native American reservations. The series includes stories written by Henry in both Crow and English. Some of his stories are Birds and People and Far Out, A Rodeo Horse. Henry strongly believes in keeping the Crow language alive. He knows it is important for preserving Crow culture and traditions.
Life on the Ranch
Today, Henry Real Bird lives on his ranch in south-central Montana. He says he is "raising bucking horses, writing, and dreaming." Since becoming Poet Laureate, he has published two more poetry books: Horse Tracks and Wolf Teeth.
His poetry is inspired by his strong connection to Crow traditions. It also reflects the simple life of a cowboy and the stunning natural beauty of Montana.
