HayleeMontoya
culturedailylobo.com
N. Scott Momaday will host the fourth annual Rudolfo and Patricia Anaya Lecture on the Literature of the Southwest this evening in the SUB Ballroom.
Evelina Lucero, chair of the Creative Writing Department at the Institute of American Indian Arts, will introduce Momaday at the lecture.
“Momaday’s writing and oratory embody the Native American perception of the spoken word. That is where power and beauty of his words lie,” Lucero said.
The lecture will be of Momaday’s autobiographical understanding of Southwestern literature as well as his role as a young Native American author, said Daniel Worden, the event’s coordinator.
Momaday will also address the major themes and concerns of his work throughout the course of his career.
Momaday, who became distinguished as a Native American author with his first novel “House Made of Dawn” in 1969 is recognized for his unique fiction, poetry and paintings.
In collaboration with Rudolfo Anaya, the UNM English Department chose Momaday for his personal and historical connections to the Southwest.
The lecture series is designed to be accessible for all audiences, regardless of familiarity with the authors, he said. The talks tend to focus more on anecdotes and observations, rather than the specifics of an author’s work.
“The ultimate purpose of the lecture series is to provide a permanent, recurring venue for the English department at the University of New Mexico to spotlight what we’ve historically been known for and what we continue to do very well, and that is teach the literature of this region,” Worden said.
Momaday’s work has received countless awards, including a Pulitzer Prize, and is distinct in its reflection of Native tradition and oral story telling.
“We kind of joke around that Momaday could get up and read his grocery list and make it sound like a poem,” Lucero said. “He has such a tremendous presence and skill in telling stories.”
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Momaday was born in Oklahoma and lived throughout the Southwest while his parents taught at Indian schools in Navajo, Apache and Pueblo regions. He received a B.A. at the University of New Mexico and then went on to teach at the University of Arizona, Stanford University, the University of California-Berkeley and the University of California-Santa Barbara.
The free event is open to the public and will last from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m.
After the lecture, Momaday will be available for a book signing in the UNM Bookstore. A reception will follow with food and coffee in the SUB.
