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==Life and career== ==Life and career==
Chrystos is a ]- and ]-identified writer, who is identified with the pronoun "they". Born off-reservation in ], ] as part of a group called ],<ref name="Not Vanishing">{{cite book|last1=Chrystos|title=Not Vanishing|date=1988|publisher=Press Gang Publishers|location=Vancouver}}</ref> Chrystos was taught to read by her father, who was self-educated, and began writing poetry at age nine. English was not their first language, and the first version of English that they leafed was Black American Street slang because of their residence in the projects, which they were later scolded and humiliated for. They also suffered sexual abuse by a relative. <ref>{{Cite web|title = Interview-with-Chrystos|url = http://blackcoffeepoet.com/2010/09/15/interview-with-chrystos/|website=Black Coffee Poet|accessdate = 2016-04-07}}</ref> Chrystos experienced an emotional and abnormal childhood due to an abusive and depressed Euro-immigrant mother and a father who was ashamed of his Menominee heritage. At the age of seventeen, Chrystos was put into a mental institution for a summer, and claims that they may not have survived on the streets if that had not happened. They continued to put themselves in and out of the nuthouse for ten years until they realized that it was making the pain worse. Inspired by what they describe as the pain that white culture caused their father,<ref name="Not Vanishing"/> their writing introduces a diverse mixture of characters and ideas and focuses on social justice issues, reaching towards a better understanding of how issues such as colonialism, genocide, class and gender affect the lives of women and Native people. Much of their childhood is evident in their writing about street life, gardening, nuthouses, incest, the Man, love, sex, and hate. Their work is mainly for First Nations people, people of color, and lesbians. <ref>{{cite book|last1=Chrystos|title=Not Vanishing|date=1988|publisher=Press Gang Publishers|location=Vancouver|page=106}}</ref><ref>Sorrel, Lorraine, "Not Vanishing", review in ''Off Our Backs''. Washington: Mar 31, 1989. Vol.19, Iss. 3.</ref> They also try to raise awareness of Native American heritage and culture, while breaking down stereotypes.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title = 12 Incredible Indigenous LGBTQ Women and Two-Spirit People You Should Know {{!}} Autostraddle|url = http://www.autostraddle.com/12-awesome-native-american-and-first-nation-lgbtq-women-and-two-spirit-people-311473/|website = Autostraddle|accessdate = 2015-10-22}}</ref> They have published many works including ''Not Vanishing'', ''Dream On'', ''In Her I Am'', ''Fugitive Colors'', ''Fire Power'', ''Red Rollercoaster'', and ''Wilde Reis'', and self-illustrated many of the book covers. Their works are published by printing presses in Canada due to America's censorship and the "very little support for writers".<ref>https://blackcoffeepoet.com/2010/09/15/interview-with-chrystos/</ref> They edit minimally by reading the work aloud and sometimes removing words or changing the way that the lines appear. Breaths, thought, and correlation organize the lines of their poems, in which they use visuals to create orality. Chrystos claims that poetry and oral readings are not separate. They hide internal rhymes, puns, word play, and clichés in their poems. They describe themselves as a political poet. Numerous awards including NEA, Human Rights Freedom Of Expression, Sappho Award of Distinction from the Astrea Lesbian Foundation for Justice, Barbara Demming Grant, and she also won the Aude Lorde International Poetry Competition have been awarded to Chrystos.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.autostraddle.com/12-awesome-native-american-and-first-nation-lgbtq-women-and-two-spirit-people-311473/|title=12 Incredible Indigenous LGBTQ Women and Two-Spirit People You Should Know {{!}} Autostraddle|website=Autostraddle|language=en-US|access-date=2016-04-04}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title = Chrystos|url = https://www.facebook.com/Chrystos-189866507698351/info/?tab=page_info|website = www.facebook.com|accessdate = 2015-10-22}}</ref> Chrystos was inspired by the work of ], ], ], and ], among others<ref>{{cite book|last1=Chrystos|title=Not Vanishing|date=1988|publisher=Press Gang Publishers|location=Vancouver|page=103}}</ref> International novels are their preference, because they find the American publishing industry to be too nostalgic of white supremacy. Activism work by Chrystos includes working to free Norma Jean Croy and Leonard Peltier, and working for the rights of tribes such as Dine and Mohawk. They have lived on ] since 1980.<ref>{{citation|title=Chrystos: biography|url=http://voices.cla.umn.edu/artistpages/chrystos.php|work=Voices from the Gaps|publisher=University of Minnesota College of Liberal Arts|accessdate=2012-01-25}}</ref><ref>{{citation|url=http://www.bainbridgepubliclibrary.org/local-authors.aspx|title=Local authors|publisher=Bainbridge Public Library|date=March 26, 2011|accessdate=2012-01-25}}</ref> Chrystos is a ]- and ]-identified writer, who is identified with the pronoun "they". Born off-reservation in ], ] as part of a group called ],<ref name="Not Vanishing">{{cite book|last1=Chrystos|title=Not Vanishing|date=1988|publisher=Press Gang Publishers|location=Vancouver}}</ref> Chrystos was taught to read by her father, who was self-educated, and began writing poetry at age nine. English was not their first language, and the first version of English that they leafed was Black American Street slang because of their residence in the projects, which they were later scolded and humiliated for. They also suffered sexual abuse by a relative. <ref>{{Cite web|title = Interview-with-Chrystos|url = http://blackcoffeepoet.com/2010/09/15/interview-with-chrystos/|website=Black Coffee Poet|accessdate = 2016-04-07}}</ref> Chrystos experienced an emotional and abnormal childhood due to an abusive and depressed Euro-immigrant mother and a father who was ashamed of his Menominee heritage. At the age of seventeen, Chrystos was put into a mental institution for a summer, and claims that they may not have survived on the streets if that had not happened. They continued to put themselves in and out of the nuthouse for ten years until they realized that it was making the pain worse. Inspired by what they describe as the pain that white culture caused their father,<ref name="Not Vanishing"/> their writing introduces a diverse mixture of characters and ideas and focuses on social justice issues, reaching towards a better understanding of how issues such as colonialism, genocide, class and gender affect the lives of women and Native people. Much of their childhood is evident in their writing about street life, gardening, nuthouses, incest, the Man, love, sex, and hate. Their work is mainly for First Nations people, people of color, and lesbians. <ref>{{cite book|last1=Chrystos|title=Not Vanishing|date=1988|publisher=Press Gang Publishers|location=Vancouver|page=106}}</ref><ref>Sorrel, Lorraine, "Not Vanishing", review in ''Off Our Backs''. Washington: Mar 31, 1989. Vol.19, Iss. 3.</ref> They also try to raise awareness of Native American heritage and culture, while breaking down stereotypes.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title = 12 Incredible Indigenous LGBTQ Women and Two-Spirit People You Should Know {{!}} Autostraddle|url = http://www.autostraddle.com/12-awesome-native-american-and-first-nation-lgbtq-women-and-two-spirit-people-311473/|website = Autostraddle|accessdate = 2015-10-22}}</ref> They have published many works including ''Not Vanishing'', ''Dream On'', ''In Her I Am'', ''Fugitive Colors'', ''Fire Power'', ''Red Rollercoaster'', and ''Wilde Reis'', and self-illustrated many of the book covers. Their works are published by printing presses in Canada due to America's censorship and the "very little support for writers".<ref>https://blackcoffeepoet.com/2010/09/15/interview-with-chrystos/</ref> They edit minimally by reading the work aloud and sometimes removing words or changing the way that the lines appear. Breaths, thought, and correlation organize the lines of their poems, in which they use visuals to create orality. Chrystos claims that poetry and oral readings are not separate. They hide internal rhymes, puns, word play, and clichés in their poems. They describe themselves as a political poet. Numerous awards including NEA, Human Rights Freedom Of Expression, Sappho Award of Distinction from the Astrea Lesbian Foundation for Justice, Barbara Demming Grant, and she also won the Aude Lorde International Poetry Competition have been awarded to Chrystos.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.autostraddle.com/12-awesome-native-american-and-first-nation-lgbtq-women-and-two-spirit-people-311473/|title=12 Incredible Indigenous LGBTQ Women and Two-Spirit People You Should Know {{!}} Autostraddle|website=Autostraddle|language=en-US|access-date=2016-04-04}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title = Chrystos|url = https://www.facebook.com/Chrystos-189866507698351/info/?tab=page_info|website = www.facebook.com|accessdate = 2015-10-22}}</ref> Chrystos was inspired by the work of ], ], ], and ], among others<ref>{{cite book|last1=Chrystos|title=Not Vanishing|date=1988|publisher=Press Gang Publishers|location=Vancouver|page=103}}</ref> International novels are their preference, because they find the American publishing industry to be too nostalgic of white supremacy. Activism work by Chrystos includes working to free Norma Jean Croy and Leonard Peltier, and working for the rights of tribes such as Dine and Mohawk. They have lived on ] since 1980.<ref>{{citation|title=Chrystos: biography|url=http://voices.cla.umn.edu/artistpages/chrystos.php|work=Voices from the Gaps|publisher=University of Minnesota College of Liberal Arts|accessdate=2012-01-25}}</ref><ref>{{citation|url=http://www.bainbridgepubliclibrary.org/local-authors.aspx |title=Local authors |publisher=Bainbridge Public Library |date=March 26, 2011 |accessdate=2012-01-25 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120119213338/http://www.bainbridgepubliclibrary.org/local-authors.aspx |archivedate=January 19, 2012 |df=mdy }}</ref>


==Bibliography== ==Bibliography==

Revision as of 09:17, 24 November 2016

Not to be confused with: Christos (disambiguation), Christo (disambiguation) or Christus.

Chrystos, born November 7, 1946 as Chrystos Lieve Snellings, is a Menominee two-spirit self-educated writer, activist, and warrior. She has published many books and poems that explore indigenous rights, social justice and feminism. She is also a lecturer, writing teacher and fine-artist.

" They have our bundles split open in museums

our dresses & shirts at auctions

our languages on tape

our stories in locked rare book libraries

our dances on film

The only part of us they can’t steal

is what we know.

-Chrystos "

Life and career

Chrystos is a Lesbian- and Two-Spirit-identified writer, who is identified with the pronoun "they". Born off-reservation in San Francisco, California as part of a group called Urban Indians, Chrystos was taught to read by her father, who was self-educated, and began writing poetry at age nine. English was not their first language, and the first version of English that they leafed was Black American Street slang because of their residence in the projects, which they were later scolded and humiliated for. They also suffered sexual abuse by a relative. Chrystos experienced an emotional and abnormal childhood due to an abusive and depressed Euro-immigrant mother and a father who was ashamed of his Menominee heritage. At the age of seventeen, Chrystos was put into a mental institution for a summer, and claims that they may not have survived on the streets if that had not happened. They continued to put themselves in and out of the nuthouse for ten years until they realized that it was making the pain worse. Inspired by what they describe as the pain that white culture caused their father, their writing introduces a diverse mixture of characters and ideas and focuses on social justice issues, reaching towards a better understanding of how issues such as colonialism, genocide, class and gender affect the lives of women and Native people. Much of their childhood is evident in their writing about street life, gardening, nuthouses, incest, the Man, love, sex, and hate. Their work is mainly for First Nations people, people of color, and lesbians. They also try to raise awareness of Native American heritage and culture, while breaking down stereotypes. They have published many works including Not Vanishing, Dream On, In Her I Am, Fugitive Colors, Fire Power, Red Rollercoaster, and Wilde Reis, and self-illustrated many of the book covers. Their works are published by printing presses in Canada due to America's censorship and the "very little support for writers". They edit minimally by reading the work aloud and sometimes removing words or changing the way that the lines appear. Breaths, thought, and correlation organize the lines of their poems, in which they use visuals to create orality. Chrystos claims that poetry and oral readings are not separate. They hide internal rhymes, puns, word play, and clichés in their poems. They describe themselves as a political poet. Numerous awards including NEA, Human Rights Freedom Of Expression, Sappho Award of Distinction from the Astrea Lesbian Foundation for Justice, Barbara Demming Grant, and she also won the Aude Lorde International Poetry Competition have been awarded to Chrystos. Chrystos was inspired by the work of Audre Lorde, Joy Harjo, Elizabeth Woody, and Lillian Pitt, among others International novels are their preference, because they find the American publishing industry to be too nostalgic of white supremacy. Activism work by Chrystos includes working to free Norma Jean Croy and Leonard Peltier, and working for the rights of tribes such as Dine and Mohawk. They have lived on Bainbridge Island, Washington since 1980.

Bibliography

See also

References

  1. "Chrystos : The Poetry Foundation". www.poetryfoundation.org. Retrieved October 22, 2015.
  2. ^ "12 Incredible Indigenous LGBTQ Women and Two-Spirit People You Should Know | Autostraddle". Autostraddle. Retrieved October 22, 2015.
  3. ^ Chrystos (1988). Not Vanishing. Vancouver: Press Gang Publishers.
  4. "Interview-with-Chrystos". Black Coffee Poet. Retrieved April 7, 2016.
  5. Chrystos (1988). Not Vanishing. Vancouver: Press Gang Publishers. p. 106.
  6. Sorrel, Lorraine, "Not Vanishing", review in Off Our Backs. Washington: Mar 31, 1989. Vol.19, Iss. 3.
  7. https://blackcoffeepoet.com/2010/09/15/interview-with-chrystos/
  8. "12 Incredible Indigenous LGBTQ Women and Two-Spirit People You Should Know | Autostraddle". Autostraddle. Retrieved April 4, 2016.
  9. "Chrystos". www.facebook.com. Retrieved October 22, 2015.
  10. Chrystos (1988). Not Vanishing. Vancouver: Press Gang Publishers. p. 103.
  11. "Chrystos: biography", Voices from the Gaps, University of Minnesota College of Liberal Arts, retrieved January 25, 2012
  12. Local authors, Bainbridge Public Library, March 26, 2011, archived from the original on January 19, 2012, retrieved 2012-01-25 {{citation}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)

Bealy, Joanne. “An Interview With CHRYSTOS.” Off Our Backs, vol. 33, Off Our Backs, Sept. 2003, p. 11, Academic Search Complete, www.pierce.ctc.edu:2048/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=10917872&scope=site. E. Centime Zeleke. “Speaking about Language.” Canadian Woman Studies, vol. 16, no. 2, 1996, pp. 33–5. Biography in Context, ic.galegroup.com/ic/bic1/AcademicJournalsDetailsPage/AcademicJournalsDetailsWindow?disableHighlighting=false&displayGroupName=Journals&currPage=&scanId=&query=&prodId=BIC1&search_within_results=&p=BIC1&mode=view&catId=&limiter=&display-query=&displayGroups=&contentModules=&action=e&sortBy=&documentId=GALE|A30407853&windowstate=normal&activityType=&failOverType=&commentary=&source=Bookmark&u=puya65247&jsid=eb09d5dc6712f0aaa02b90f9f25ee0d6. Retter, Yolanda. “Chrystos.” Encyclopedia of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered History in America, Edited by Marc Stein, vol. 1, Charles Scribner's Sons, Detroit, 2004, pp. 214–215, Gale Virtual Reference Library, www.pierce.ctc.edu:2055/ps/i.do?p=GVRL&sw=w&u=puya65247&v=2.1&it=r&id=GALE|CX3403600110&asid=3db6fca9265aa9b3ece58b9f8c268f9a.

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