Author Gerald Vizenor
Lake Agassiz Regional Library sponsored a series of author visits and presentations by Gerald Vizenor.
Gerald Robert Vizenor is a Native American (Anishinaabe) writer, and an enrolled member of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, White Earth Reservation. One of the most prolific Native American writers, with over 30 books to his name.
Event Dates and Locations:
05/10/2010 – White Earth Tribal & Community College
05/11/2010 – Mahnomen High School
05/12/2010 – Shooting Star Casino
Partner Organization(s): The Mahnomen Chamber of Commerce, The Shooting Star Casino and the White Earth Tribal College
Partner Organization(s) Contribution/Role in the Program: The Mahnomen Chamber of Commerce distributed literature to all of its participating business members to promote this activity. The Shooting Star Casino hosted part of the event and the White Earth Tribal College hosted presentations.
A total of 173 attended this activity.
Attendance by location is as follows:
Mahnomen High School (120),
Shooting Star Casino (18), and
White Earth Tribal College (35).
Measurable Outcomes may be collected by survey, anecdotal responses, post-test; End user change in Behavior, Attitude, Skills, Knowledge, Condition and/or Status
A Summary of surveys from the program is:What did you learn from this program?
- Some very interesting historical facts
- That Vizenor is even more amazing than I imagined
- I will look at native history a little differently
- Native American history and the famous Chiefs
- Some interesting ideas
- The Tragedy of Native life and sentiments and experiences
- Big insights
- Authors to investigate; literary aspects of story themes; concept of guilt forgiveness
- Survivance – vocab & way of thinking about Native literature & more
- Much about Native history, authors & key ingredients I didn’t know
How will you use the information learned?
- I have new insight for my own writing
- To broaden my thinking
- I will buy some of Mr. Vizenor’s books
- Adapt it in to papers and research
- In book discussion
- To tell others what I learned
- Personal growth
- In classes and with colleagues
- Read more Vizenor
- To re-evaluate my perception of Native history, culture & literature
How did you hear about the program?
- Anishinaabeg newspaper
- Friend (2)
- Newspaper (3)
- Mahnomen Pioneer
- Through the SSC
- The Real history of native from my wife she works at the Shooting Star
- DL paper (2)
What types of FREE programs would you like Lake Agassiz Regional Library to offer?
- More Authors: Louise Erdrich
- More like this – maybe a workshop; involve more native youth
- Winona
- More authors & poets
- More native authors would be nice for different view points
- I’m not quite sure yet
- Authors are great
- Like this one, that in fame and enlighter
- “Make your own story” – reading to project of listening
- L. LaDahe
Any additional comments:
- Awesome program! – So interesting
- Thank you for this
- Great program; great facts
- I intend to find and reach all of Vizenors books
- What a human being – humble, insightful & knowledgeable
- The man has profound knowledge of America