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nila northSun
Nila northSun.jpg
Born 1951
Schurz, Nevada, US
Occupation Poet
Nationality Shoshone
Literary movement Native American Renaissance
Notable works A snake in her mouth: poems 1974–96

nila northSun is a talented Native American poet. She is also a tribal historian, meaning she helps keep track of her people's past.

Her poems are very real and show what life is like both on and off the reservation. This has made her one of the most widely read Native American poets. Many people see her as an important writer in a movement called the Native American Renaissance.

About Nila NorthSun

Nila NorthSun was born in 1951 in Schurz, Nevada. Her mother was Shoshone, and her father was Chippewa. Her father, Adam Fortunate Eagle, was a well-known Native American activist.

Nila grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area. She later graduated from the University of Montana-Missoula.

Her Unique Writing Style

Nila NorthSun uses everyday language, often called "Reservation English." She also uses humor and irony in her poems. She writes about feelings like being left out, feeling angry, or dealing with loss.

Today, she lives on the Fallon Paiute-Shoshone Reservation in Fallon, Nevada. She works as a grant writer for the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony. This means she helps get funding for important projects.

Awards and Recognition

Nila NorthSun has received several special awards for her writing.

In 2000, a group called "Friends of the Library" at the University of Nevada gave her the Silver Pen Award. This award celebrates great writing achievements. In the same year, Governor Kenny Guinn asked her to join the Nevada State Arts Council.

In 2004, she received the "Indigenous Heritage Award in Literature" from ATAYL. This is an international group. She also received a Sierra Arts Foundation Literary Award.

Selected Works

Nila NorthSun has written many books of poetry and one non-fiction book.

Poetry Collections

  • whipped cream and sushi (2008)
  • Love at gunpoint (2007)
  • A snake in her mouth: poems 1974–96 (1997)
  • Small bones, little eyes: poems (1981) (written with Jim Sagel)
  • Coffee, dust devils and old rodeo bulls: poems (1979) (written with Kirk Robertson)
  • Diet pepsi and nacho cheese: poems (1977)

Non-Fiction Book

  • After the Drying Up of the Water (1980): This book tells the history of the Fallon Paiute-Shoshone tribe.

See Also