Ofelia Zepeda facts for kids

Ofelia Zepeda is a well-known Tohono O'odham poet and scholar. She was born in Stanfield, Arizona, in 1952. She is a special professor at The University of Arizona. There, she teaches about the Tohono O'odham language and linguistics. Linguistics is the study of language.

She also directs the American Indian Language Development Institute (AILDI). This institute helps to develop and preserve Native American languages. Zepeda is also the editor for "Sun Tracks". This is a series of books that features the work of Native American artists and writers. The University of Arizona Press publishes these books.

Her Life and Work

Ofelia Zepeda is a professor of linguistics at the University of Arizona. She is famous for her work to save and promote the Tohono O'odham language. She wants more people to be able to read and write it.

From 1986 to 1991, she was the director of the American Indian Studies Program at the University of Arizona. She also advises and supports other Native American languages. She wrote a book called A Papago Grammar. She also helped write an article called "Derived Words in Tohono O'odham". This article was published in a journal about American languages.

Helping Her Tribe

Zepeda has worked with her tribe to improve reading and writing skills. She helps with both English and Tohono O'odham. In 1983, she created A Papago Grammar. She made this book from recordings of native speakers. There were no textbooks for the language classes she taught.

Her work with the tribe's language committee led to an official rule. This rule encourages speaking the Native language at all school levels.

Poetry and Awards

In 1995, Ofelia Zepeda published a book of poems. It was called Ocean Power: Poems from the Desert. The introduction to her book was titled "Things That Help Me Begin to Remember".

In 1999, Zepeda received a very important award. It was called a MacArthur Fellowship. This award is given to very talented people. She was also part of a committee that advised the "Sun Tracks" publishing program. This program features works by Native American authors. She is now the editor for this book series.

See also

In Spanish: Ofelia Zepeda para niños