Indigenous Nations Poets (In-Na-Po) is hosting its first annual week-long retreat for emerging Native poets April 25-29, 2022 in Washington D.C.

The retreat will offer sixteen Indigenous fellows an opportunity to study with a distinguished poetry faculty and become a part of a community of Native writers.

All 16 poets will be awarded a full fellowship that will cover travel and lodging costs as well as tuition, with a stipend for meals and expenses.

The five-day gathering will create a space for inspiration, set aside dedicated time for participants to develop their craft, and offer guidance on the practice and business of poetry. The schedule will include workshops, craft talks, an introduction to the collections of the Library of Congress and the National Museum of the American Indian, and readings by faculty and fellows.

Events will include participation in the U.S.Poet Laureate, Joy Harjo's, closing reading and performance on Thursday April 28 and the closing celebration of her three-year tenure on Friday April 29. Both events will be held at the Library of Congress.

Retreat Dates and Location

The retreat will be held at the Library of Congress in Washington D.C. and include some touring of the Washington D.C. area, the Capitol, and the National Museum of the American Indian.

All participants will stay at a nearby hotel (exact location TBD; lodging costs are included in the fellowship).

The retreat will begin on the evening of Monday April 25 and conclude Friday evening, April 29, 2022. Attendees should be able to arrive by the afternoon of Monday, April 25 and plan to depart on the morning of April 30.

About In-Na-Po

Founded in 2020, In-Na-Po—Indigenous Nations Poets—is a national Indigenous poetry community committed to mentoring emerging writers, nurturing the growth of Indigenous poetic practices, and raising the visibility of all Native Writers past, present, and future. In-Na-Po recognizes the role of poetry in sustaining tribal sovereign nations and Native languages.

In-Na-Po is proud to be a member of The Poetry Coalition, a national alliance of more than 25 independent poetry organizations dedicated to working together to promote the value poets bring to our culture and the important contribution poetry makes in the lives of people of all ages and backgrounds. The Poetry Coalition and its programmatic efforts are supported by the Academy of American Poets with funds from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Application Details

1. Eligibility

   The application deadline has been extended to February 10, 2022. Fellows will be announced on March 1, 2022.

   Applicants will be selected on the strength and promise of the work submitted and the likelihood that the applicant will benefit from and contribute to the retreat community.

   All applications will be reviewed and judged by In-Na-Po Board members.

   Eligible applicants:

   • Must be an emerging writer, publication history is not required

   • Applicants must be 21 years of age or over

   • All applicants are expected to be able to attend the full duration of the 5-day retreat

   • Must be members of tribal nations within the United States and its trust territories (including American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, Chamorros, and American Samoans). The application does not need to include documentation, but we ask for honesty and integrity in your application. In-Na-Po defines “membership” according to the following guidance:

   The work of In-Na-Po supports the sovereignty of Native Nations determining their citizenship, and we understand Native identity and citizenship to be a complex and evolving matter. We are inclusive of Native writers who are citizens of their Native Nation or community, as well as those who may not be enrolled but are actively participating and working towards the survival and continuance of their Nation(s) and who can demonstrate a familial connection, or descent through lineage. Because we do not want to perpetuate false claims of citizenship or representation of any connections to Nations without the Nations' consent and collaboration, poets should be able to provide proof through documentation or via a narrative of membership that is supported by their family lineage and by their Native community.

2. Application Instructions

   Please submit the following materials by 11:59 pm EST on February 1, 2022

   Submit all materials to: indigenous.nations.poets@gmail.com

   Please use the following header in the email: Application for In-Na-Po Retreat 2022.

   Materials can be submitted in PDF or Word format, and can be separate or combined files. Please include your last name in the file name(s).

   Please email Arielle Taitano Lowe at indigenous.nations.poets@gmail.com with any questions.

   The full application consists of the following (there is no application form):

   1. Cover letter that includes the following:

      1. Name

      2. Address

      3. Phone, Email

      4. Age

      5. Optional: Social media handles or website

   2. Please list your tribal affiliation(s) and note the Nation in which you are enrolled. If you are not enrolled in the Nation with which you are affiliated, please provide a statement supporting the nature of your affiliation and/or familial connection, descendancy, or community connection.

   3. Writing Sample: Please submit 5 poems (no more than 10 pages). Submissions can be published or unpublished works. Please note where the work has been previously published.

   4. Application statement addressing the following questions:

      1. Brief biographical statement (approx 50 words)

      2. How long have you been writing seriously and what are your goals with your ongoing creative work? How do you think the In-Na-Po Retreat would be helpful for you? (approx 150-250 words)

      3. Please discuss your previous experience, if any, participating in writing workshops or creative writing classes/programs. (approx 150-250 words)

      4. Indigenous Nations Poets (In-Na-Po) is a community committed to mentoring emerging writers, cultivating Indigenous literatures and poetics, supporting tribal languages and sovereignty, and raising the visibility of all Native writers. Please comment on the above aspects of In-Na-Po’s vision and how you hope your work might intersect with these ideas. (approx 150-250 words)

      5. Is there anything additional you would like to share that seems relevant to your application or your ability to participate in the full retreat?