Synkroniciti is honored to welcome Apsaalooke writer Valerie Jackson. We will feature two of her rich and colorful poems, “Of Blue Rock and Cloud” and “Rebirth.” The first is an evocative piece full of wistful longing for her childhood home. Even if we can go home to that place, it has changed and we have changed. The second recalls the sacred experience of the Sweat Lodge and how it connects the Apsaalooke to the Earth.
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Valerie Jackson has lived in Arizona for thirty years, but her heart is in the Big Horn Mountains of home. Valerie is a member of the Apsaalooke Tribe. From her Crow mother, she inherited her love for writing and spirit of activism. From her Scottish father, she inherited her bright red hair, blue eyes, and white skin. Valerie is Whistling Water Clan. She claims Lochness as her paternal clan. She raised two kids while in college. She has five grandkids in Montana. They inherited their grandmother’s vocabulary and gift of gab. Valerie received her BA in English Literature from ASU. She has been writing memoir for many years. Writing is cathartic, allowing people into your world. It connects us all.
Here is a reading from the Stay at Home Poetry Reading Series out of the Indigenous Peoples Art Gallery and Cafe in Iowa City, IA. Valerie’s bit is introduced at 7:30. She reads “Silent Warrior,” “mytfew haiku,” and “Crossfire.” “Silent Warrior” tells of Aaron S. Yava, whose beautiful artwork graces Synkroniciti’s layout for “Rebirth.”