Jim Northrup



Jim Northrup (born 1943) is an Anishinaabe (Native American) newspaper columnist, poet, performer and political commentator from the Fond du Lac Indian Reservation in Minnesota. His Anishinaabe name is "Chibenashi" (from Chi-bineshiinh "Big little-bird").

Summary
Northrup's regular column, the Fond du Lac Follies, is syndicated through several Native American papers, such as The Circle, The Native American Press and News From Indian Country. It has won many awards (see below) and is known for a warm humour with a sharply political undertone. Northrup often tells stories through the perspective of his immediate family, most of whom like himself live a traditional Anishinaabe lifestyle, and uses a folksy style to make points about United States-Native American interactions. Fond du Lac Follies was named Best Column at the 1999 Native American Journalists Association convention. In 1990-1992, Jim worked as a roster artist for the COMPAS Writer in the Schools Program. He has been a Mentor in the Loft Inroads Program, a Judge for the Lake Superior Contemporary Writers Series and The Jerome Fellowship, and a Member of the Minnesota State Arts Board Prose Panel. Jim also has given radio commentaries on the Superior Radio Network, National Public Radio, Fresh Air Radio], and the BBC-Scotland. His two books, Walking the Rez Road and Rez Road Follies, are written in the same style, and have been highly praised for their insights into reservation life. He peppers his column, and the books, with jokes (e.g. Q: Why is the white man in such a hurry to get to Mars? A: He thinks we have land there) and words or phrases from his tribal language, Ojibwemowin, of which he is a student.

Born in the Government Hospital on the reservation, Northrup was brought up on Pipestone Indian School, where he was physically abused by teachers and fellow students, Northrup grew up a tough streetfighter with a smart mouth. Service in Vietnam and a surfeit of family tragedy have added to a strong, humorous voice that is unafraid to talk about the darker side of life.

Jim and his family live the traditional life of the Anishinaabe in northern Minnesota, on the Fond Du Lac reservation. Year around they practice the construction of making winnowing backets, and harvest wild rice and maple syrup. Nonetheless, his traditional lifestyle does not deter him from participating in events like the Taos Film Festival and the Taos Poetry Circus.

Quotes
''I used to be known as a bullshitter but that didn't pay anything. I began calling myself a storyteller - a little better, more prestige - but it still didn't pay anything. I became a freelance writer. At first it was more free than lance, then I started getting money for my words'' (Rez Road Follies, p. 2)

Awards

 * Jim was named Writer of the Year in syndicated columns for 2001 by the Wordcraft Circle of Native Writer's and Storytellers for his column The Fond du Lac Follies.
 * Walking the Rez Road was awarded a Minnesota Book Award and a Northeast Minnesota Book Award. Jim was honored as writer of the Best Feature Story in 1987 by the Native American Press Association for the story "Jeremiah, Jesse and Dan". In 1987 he also was named winner of the Lake Superior Contemporary Writers Series for "Culture Clash".
 * The film Jim Northrup: With Reservations received an award at the Dreamspeakers Native Film Festival '97, and was named Best of Show at Red Earth '97. It was named Best Short Film at the Native American Voices Showcase 2002 at the Fargo Film Festival. It was also shown at the 1997 Native American Film & Video Festival, National Museum of the American Indian, New York City.
 * The Rez Road Follies has been nominated for a Minnesota Book Award, in the Creative Non-fiction category in 1995.
 * Fond du Lac Follies was named Best Column at the 1999 Native American Journalists Association convention.

Poetry
Poetry Harbor Press
 * Three more: poems, illustrations by Eva Two Crow, Minnesota Center for Book Arts and the Loft, 1992.
 * Days of Obsidian, Days of Grace (with Adrian Louis, Al Hunter, and Denise Sweet), 1994,

Anthologies

 * Nitaawichige: Selected Poetry and Prose by Four Anishinaabe Writers, with Jim Northrup, Marcie Rendon &amp;, Linda Legarde Grover, Poetry Harbor.
 * Stories Migrating Home: Anishnaabe Prose, Kimberly Blaeser (Editor), Loonfeather Press: Wisconsin
 * Returning the Gift: Poetry and Prose from the First North American Native Writers' Festival, (Sun Tracks Books, No 29) University of Arizona Press.
 * Touchwood: A Collection of Ojibway Prose (Many Minnesotas Project, No 3), New Rivers Press.
 * North Writers: A Strong Woods Collection, John Henricksson (Editor), University of Minnesota Press.
 * Stiller's Pond, New Fiction From The Upper Midwest, Jonis Agee, Roger Blakely & Susan Welch (Editors), New Rivers Press.
 * Do you know me now?: an anthology of Minnesota multicultural writings, Elisabeth Rosenberg (Editor), Normandale Community College.

Autobiographies

 * Walking the Rez Road, 1993, Voyageur Press.
 * Rez Road Follies: Canoes, Casinos, Computers and Birch Bark Baskets, 1997, Kodansha America, Now issued by U Of Minn Press.
 * Anishinaabe Syndicated, A View From The Rez, 2011, Minnesota Historical Society Press.

<!--=== Books===
 * Native America Calling interview with Jim Northrup in Rez Road Follies
 * Publisher's page

Plays

 * Rez Road 2000—performed at the Great American History Theatre in St. Paul for a five-week run in January 2000.
 * Rez Road Follies
 * Shinnob Jep—performed October 9, 10 & 11, 1997, at the Weisman Art Museum, University of Minnesota, as part of the Indian Humor exhibition.

Films/Videos in which Jim Appears

 * Jim Northrup: With Reservations, 1995, Center for International Education.
 * A review of the film
 * Internet Moview Database record for the film
 * Warriors, Native American Vietnam Veterans, 1988, Prairie Public Television, Fargo, ND.
 * Diaries, Native Minnesotans, 1991, KTCA, Channel 2, PBS, St. Paul, MN.
 * Zero Street, 1993, an after school special Weapon of Choice Prod., 1993
 * Poetry Harbor, Duluth, MN has several videos of Jim reading his work.
 * Jim also appears in the video United States of Poetry, 1996. on PBS

Writing available online
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 * Fond du Lac Follies from News From Indian Country
 * Fond du Lac Follies, May, 2007
 * Fond du Lac Follies, April, 2007
 * Fond du Lac Follies, March, 2007
 * Fond du Lac Follies, February, 2007
 * Fond du Lac Follies, January, 2007
 * This Mine of Mine from Revisiting Viet Nam (audio)
 * Shrinking Away from Revisiting Viet Nam (audio)
 * Kissinger at the Airport from Revisiting Viet Nam (audio)
 * Sugarbush in Canku Ota
 * Rez Car
 * Ogichidag
 * time wounds all heels
 * night walk
 * the duke
 * About

Interviews

 * Catching up with writer Jim Northrup in News from Indian Country
 * Revisiting Vietnam, Slideshow & RealAudio
 * "Walking with Jim Northrup and Sharing His "Rez"ervations", Roseanne Hoefel, in SAIL, 9, 2, 11.
 * "Stories, Humor, and Survival in Jim Northrup's Walking theRez Road", Chris LaLonde, in SAIL', 9, 2, 23.