Memoirs, Metaphors and Meanings

Program Description

Indigenous Peoples memoirs written in poetry, essay and picture book formats help us uncover our own Life Topics that shape our awareness of our own mortality. In this workshop we mine our own experiences and use Indigenous Peoples writings as our mentor texts to help us create a memoir using metaphors to grasp big ideas and feelings. Zitkala-Sa (Gertrude Bonnin), Dakota Sioux Indian, writes in her essay compilation American Indian Stories, “There is no great; there is no small; in the mind that causeth all.”  Join me in discovering not only our Big Life Topics, but also finding the brother/sisterhood in our lives as well. You will write a memoir in a format of your choosing and share (or pass) your creation with the rest of the writers in this Memoirs, Metaphors and Meanings conversation.

Presenter Bio

Kim Quigley has been a Montana educator since 1981 and has always incorporated historical and contemporary Native Peoples’ lives into her curriculum.  She has taught students from age two to college age in the past 44 years as a speech therapist, classroom teacher, librarian, speech and drama teacher, principal and as an educational coach. Since 2015 she has written and presented curriculum for Indian Education for All and incorporated it into Montana’s adopted common core.

Contact

Kim Quigley
kimquigley03@gmail.com