Gerald Vizenor
Gerald Vizenor
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Full Name and Common Aliases
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Gerald Robert Vizenor was born on November 22, 1934, to a family of Ojibwe descent in Minnesota. He is also known by his Native American name, Waabandi.
Birth and Death Dates
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Born: November 22, 1934
Still alive
Nationality and Profession(s)
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Vizenor holds dual citizenship as an enrolled member of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe and a citizen of the United States. His professional life spans academia, literature, and activism.
Early Life and Background
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Growing up in Minnesota, Vizenor was immersed in his Native American heritage. He drew inspiration from the stories, myths, and legends passed down through generations of his family. Vizenor's early experiences would later influence his writing and advocacy work.
As a young man, Vizenor attended Bemidji State University (then known as State Teachers College) before transferring to St. John's University in Minnesota. However, due to the restrictive policies governing Native American education at the time, he was forced to leave college. Undeterred, Vizenor continued his education through correspondence courses.
Major Accomplishments
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Vizenor has made significant contributions to academia and literature as a scholar, writer, and advocate for indigenous rights. Some of his notable achievements include:
Founding the Native American Studies program at the University of New Mexico in 1970.
Serving as director of the Center for Regional Studies at the University of Minnesota in 1974-75.
Developing the concept of " survivance," which posits that indigenous cultures resist erasure and instead, survive and thrive through creative acts.Notable Works or Actions
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Vizenor's literary output is vast and varied. Some notable works include:
The People Named the Chippewa: Narrative Histories (1972), a collection of stories about the Ojibwe people.
* Griever: An American Monkey King in Ireland (1984), a novel that blends elements of Irish and Native American folklore.
As an advocate, Vizenor has been instrumental in promoting indigenous perspectives and challenging dominant narratives. He has worked tirelessly to amplify the voices of marginalized communities.
Impact and Legacy
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Gerald Vizenor's impact on academia, literature, and social justice movements is undeniable. His innovative approach to storytelling and his advocacy for indigenous rights have inspired generations of scholars, writers, and activists.
Vizenor's work continues to be widely read and studied in universities around the world. His concept of survivance has become a touchstone for discussions about resistance, resilience, and cultural survival.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
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Gerald Vizenor is remembered as a pioneering figure in Native American studies and literature. His innovative approach to storytelling, his commitment to indigenous rights, and his unwavering dedication to social justice have cemented his place in the annals of history.
As an advocate for marginalized communities, Vizenor's work continues to inspire and educate readers worldwide. His legacy serves as a powerful reminder that stories have the power to shape our understanding of ourselves and our world.
Quotes by Gerald Vizenor
I’m a visual thinker. With almost all of my writing, I start with something that’s visual: either the way someone says something that is visual or an actual visual description of a scene and color.
Race is an invention, not a noticeable genetic presence, and cultural traits are brute concoctions of the social sciences.
I'm a visual thinker. With almost all of my writing, I start with something that's visual: either the way someone says something that is visual or an actual visual description of a scene and color.
Trickster stories are pleasurable, contradictory, annoying, abrasive. They're powerful, transformational acts of liberation because they are not nailed down to the real, to the representation of something in the world.
The idea of victimage is a dreadful thing, a product of a safe middle-class perspective. What people who are not safe develop is a tragic wisdom, a wisdom that embraces contradiction and seeks a sense of balance rather than going to extremes.
Indians are usually seen as capsulized: limited to one environment, with the illusion of stability in that environment. But Indians have been engaged all over the world for centuries, in Europe, even in Asia.
W. P. Kinsella, who was born on a farm near Edmunton, Alberta, has earned wide recognition for his wild imagination and rash humor as a writer.
There is a sense of motion and a concise, immediate image in haikus and Anishinaabe dream songs.
There are 13 stories in 'The Fencepost Chronicles' about corrupt tribal leaders, trouble on the reserve, survival schemes, and communal drinking.