Native American poets will perform their works to celebrate Native American languages at the inaugural Language Lives: Native Languages Poetry Contest from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 21 at The Jacobson House Native Art Center.
The event, sponsored by the Mark Allen Everett Poetry Series through the OU English Department, seeks to celebrate the history and contemporary vibrancy of Native American languages through poetry, according to the event's Facebook page.
The contest requires that any submissions be submitted at least partially in a Native language, with an English translation accompanying the submission, according to the Facebook page. The three competition categories include traditional stories, contemporary pieces and original songs.
Cash prizes of $150, $100 and $50 will be available for first, second and third place winners in each category for those who choose to read their work at the event, according to the Facebook page.
But for Jonathan Stalling, series cofounder and English professor at OU, the event is more than a contest.
“We believe that OU can play a vital role in the Native Language renaissance taking place in Native communities in the Americas by providing a space where we can honor the work of creative expression taking place in Native American languages communities,” said Stalling.
Speakers Gus Palmer Jr., Richard Whitman, Royce Freeman and Joe Dale Tate Nevaquaya will also be present at the event to discuss Native language composition and related issues, according to the Facebook page.
All submissions will also be considered for publication in a “Language Lives” anthology, which will likely be published sometime next year, Stalling said.
The Mark Allen Poetry Series at OU was founded in 2007 and has been sponsored by the Everett Family Fund, the College of Arts and Sciences, and the OU English department as well as other departments and organizations, according to its website.
