i am currently at the Indigenous Writers of the Americas Conferences - Discursive Practices: the Formation of a Transnational Indigenous Poetics at the University of Davis, California.  To be in the presence of indigenous writers, poets, playwrights, scholars and artist/healers from across the two continents is amazingly encouraging, hopeful and healing.  To not have to question or censor ones words, ones thinking and to be understood beyond the borders of language, education, class or imposed nationality is very affirming on a spiritual and creative level.

The entire conference is being translated back and forth between spanish and english with many of the participants initially speaking in their original language first.  It is beautiful.

Last night we heard from Frank LaPena, Jorge Cocom Pech, Graciela Huinao, Victor Montejo, Fredy Romeiro Campo Chicangana and Joy Harjo.  And there are two more days to go.