Laura Tohe facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Laura Tohe
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | 1952 (age 72–73) |
| Nationality | Navajo, America |
| Education | University of New Mexico, University of Nebraska (MA, Phd - Creative Writing and Literature) |
| Notable awards | Festival of Words Writers Award (2019) |
Laura Tohe (born in 1952) is a talented Native American writer and poet. She was chosen as the official poet for the Navajo Nation from 2015 to 2019. She also used to be a professor of English at Arizona State University.
Laura Tohe was born in Fort Defiance, Arizona. Her father was a Navajo code talker, a special person who used the Navajo language to send secret messages during World War II. Laura grew up speaking both the Navajo language (Diné bizaad) and English. Sadly, she was sometimes punished at school for speaking her native language, as people tried to make everyone speak only English.
She went to the University of New Mexico and earned her first degree in 1975. Later, she continued her studies at the University of Nebraska, where she earned two more advanced degrees. Since 1994, she has been connected with Arizona State University.
Her Books and Works
Laura Tohe has written many interesting books and other works.
Books
- Making Friends with Water (1986)
- No Parole Today (1999)
- Tséyi' / Deep in the Rock: Reflections on Canyon de Chelly (with photographer Stephen E. Strom, 2005)
- Code Talker Stories (2012)
Librettos
A libretto is the text used in an opera or a musical work.
- Slayer, A Navajo Oratorio (With M. Grey, 2009)
Awards and Honors
Laura Tohe has received several awards for her amazing work.
- Her book "Tseyi, Deep in the Rock" won the Glyph Award for Best Poetry in 2007.
- She was named the Navajo Nation Poet Laureate in 2017. This is a special honor given to a poet who represents the Navajo people.
