Indios A Poem . . . A Performance

Filled with powerful imagery, this poem relates the tragic story of Indios, a native woman falsely accused of the death of her children. As it echoes the plight of other women like Indiosincluding Malinche, Pocahontas, La Llorona, and Medeathis narrative conveys the truth of a history twisted to suit the needs of a conquering power. Weaving Native American history with contemporary situations, this evocative poem focuses on the concept and consequences of the oppression of women.

Linda Hogan is a writer-in-residence for the Chickasaw Nation, a poet, a former professor at the University of Colorado, and the author of numerous books, including Dwellings: A Spiritual History of the Living World, People of the Whale, and Rounding the Human Corners. She is the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship, a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Native Writers Circle of the Americas, and a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship. She lives in Tishomingo, Oklahoma. Lois Beardslee is an Ojibwe artist and the author of Lies to Live By and Rachel’s Children. She also teaches communications at Northwestern Michigan College. She lives in Maple City, Michigan.