Gwen Westerman

Gwen Westerman PhD
Occupation	poet, educator, and artist
Language	Dakota, English
Nationality	Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate of the Lake Traverse Reservation, Cherokee Nation, American [1]
Alma mater	Oklahoma State University, BA and MA; University of Kansas, PhD [2]
Genre	poetry
Spouse	Glenn Wasicuna
Website
gwenwesterman.com

Gwen Nell Westerman ^[3] is a Native American educator, writer, and fiber artist.

She is a professor at Minnesota State University, Mankato, and the Director of the Native American Literature Symposium. ^[4] Governor Tim Walz appointed her as Poet Laureate of Minnesota in September 2021. ^[1]

Background

Westerman is Dakota and Cherokee. She is an enrolled citizen of both the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate of the Lake Traverse Reservation and the Cherokee Nation. ^[1] She speaks the Dakota language. ^[5] Her mother was Cherokee, and Westerman grew up in Kansas. ^[6]

Her husband was the late Glenn Wasicuna, who was a professor and advocate of the Dakota language. Together, they appeared in documentaries, and served as members of the Indian Advisory Committee for the Minnesota Historical Society. ^[7]

Career

Westerman earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in English from Oklahoma State University. She received a doctoral degree in English from the University of Kansas. ^[2] She worked in corporate communications for several years before beginning work at MSU. Today, she is a professor of English and director of the humanities program at Minnesota State University, Mankato. ^[8]

Westerman is a successful author. She was co-author of the book Mni Sota Makoce: The Land of the Dakota, which won two Minnesota Book Awards. She has published poetry written in both English and Dakota, such as in her collection Follow the Blackbirds. In 2022, she received an Academy of American Poets Laureate Fellowship. ^[9]

Fiber arts

Westerman is a fiber artist who specializes in quilt-making. She has served as an artist-in-residence at the Great Plains Art Museum and the Minnesota Historical Society. She also has work in the permanent collections of the aforementioned museums, along with the University Art Galleries at the University of South Dakota and the Children's Museum of Southern Minnesota. ^[2]

Awards

• 1999: Native American Inroads, The Loft, Minneapolis, Minnesota. Mentor: Diane Glancy (American).
• 1999: Native American Inroads, The Loft, Minneapolis, Minnesota. Mentor: Mona Susan Power (Standing Rock Dakota).
• 2004: Fellowship, Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, American Indian Programs. Research project: Traditional Dakota beadwork, under the direction of JoAllyn Archambault, PhD (Standing Rock Sioux). ^[10]
• 2012: Douglas R. Moore Research Award Fellow. Minnesota State University, Mankato. ^[10]
• 2012: Presidential Teaching Scholar, Minnesota State, Mankato. ^[10]
• 2013: Minnesota Book Award, Minnesota Category. ^[10]
• 2013: Leadership in History Award, American Association for State and Local History. ^[10]
• 2014: Hognander Minnesota History Award ^[11]
• 2014: Distinguished Faculty Scholar, Minnesota State University, Mankato. ^[10]
• 2015: Native American Artist in Residence at the Minnesota Historical Society ^[12]

Publications

Books

• Westerman, Gwen; White, Bruce (2012). Mni Sota Makoce: The Land of the Dakota . St. Paul: Minnesota Historical Society Press. ISBN   978-0873518697.
• Westerman, Gwen Neil (2013). Follow the Blackbirds. American Indian Studies. East Lansing: Michigan State University Press. ISBN   978-1611860924.
• Gwen Nell Westerman (2023). Songs, Blood Deep. Holy Cow! Press.

Articles and chapters

• Westerman, Gwen (2009). "Generosity in Continuance: The Gifts of Simon J. Ortiz". In Brill de Ramirez, Susan Berry; Lucero, Evelina (eds.). Simon J. Ortiz: A Poetic Legacy of Indigenous Continuance. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press. pp. 177–182. ISBN   978-0826339881.
• Westerman, Gwen (2009). "George Shiras, III". In Cevasco, George A.; Harmond, Richard P. (eds.). Modern American Environmentalists: A Biographical Encyclopedia. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 470–472. ISBN   978-0801891526.
• Westerman, Gwen (September 14, 2009). "Going Back". A View from the Loft. The Loft Literary Center. Retrieved 2015-04-13.
• Westerman, Gwen (2012). "Sister Lost, Sister Found: Redemption in Louise Erdrich's The Painted Drum and Shadow Tag". In Hafen, P. Jane (ed.). Critical Insights: Louise Erdrich. Ipswich, MA: Salem Press. pp. 245–255. ISBN   978-1429837231.
• Westerman, Gwen (2013). "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon". In Howe, LeAnne; Markowitz, Harvey; Cummings, Denise (eds.). Seeing Red—Hollywood's Pixeled Skins: American Indians and Film. East Lansing: Michigan State University Press. pp. 25–29. ISBN   978-1611860818.

Poetry

• "Dakota Odowaŋ". Yellow Medicine Review. 1 (1): 133–134. Spring 2007.
• "He keya Wo'okiye". Yellow Medicine Review. 1 (1): 135. Spring 2007.
• "Dakota Odowaŋ". Water-Stone Review. 13: 141–142. 2010.
• "Wowicak'u/Feed Them". Water-Stone Review. 13: 143. 2010.
• "Root Words". Natural Bridge. 26: 1. Fall 2011.
• "Where the Buffalo Roam". Natural Bridge. 26: 2–3. Fall 2011.
• "Awakening". Natural Bridge. 26: 4. Fall 2011.
• "Song for the Generations". Water-Stone Review. 15: 148–149. 2012.

Art

• "Caske's Pardon 2012". Ded Uŋk'uŋpi—We Are Here (Exhibit Catalog). All My Relations Gallery and James J. Hill House Gallery. 2012.
• "Mitakuye Owas (All My Relations)". Hena Uŋkiksuyapi: In Commemoration of the Dakota Mass Execution of 1862 (Exhibit Catalog). Hillstrom Museum of Art. 2012.

References

1. Davis, Angela; Beskstrom, Angela (October 15, 2021). "Meet Minnesota's new poet laureate Gwen Westerman". MPR News. Minneasota Public Radio. Archived from the original on 30 June 2024. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
2. "Gwen Westerman, Ph.D." Minnesota State University, Mankato. Archived from the original on 30 June 2024. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
3. "Gwen Nell Westerman Poems". Wisdom Ways. Archived from the original on 2019-08-13. Retrieved 2019-08-13.
4. "About NALS". MNSU.ecu. The Native American Literature Symposium. Archived from the original on March 13, 2015. Retrieved March 12, 2015.
5. "Gwen Nell Westerman". Poetry Foundation. 2019-08-13. Retrieved 2019-08-13.
6. Moore, Jane Turpin (December 1, 1969). "Gwen Westerman, Minnesota's new poet laureate, is grounded in Mankato area". Mankato Free Press. Archived from the original on December 29, 2021. Retrieved December 29, 2021.
7. Schmierbach, Edie (2025-06-08). "Dakota teacher dies but leaves behind a legacy". Mankato Free Press. Archived from the original on 2025-06-12. Retrieved 2025-11-12.
8. "about". Gwen Westerman. Archived from the original on 2019-08-13. Retrieved 2019-08-13.
9. "Gwen Westerman". Poets Academy of American. Retrieved 2025-11-16.
10. "Gwen Westerman - Award Winning Faculty". mnsu.edu. College of Arts and Humanities, Minnesota State University, Mankato. 2014. Retrieved March 12, 2015.
11. Hertzel, Laurie (March 7, 2014). "Hognander History and Kay Sexton awards winners announced". Star-Tribune. Archived from the original on December 14, 2024. Retrieved March 12, 2015.
12. "Native American Artist-in-Residence: Gwen Westerman". History Education MN. 2017-04-25. Archived from the original on January 19, 2020. Retrieved 2019-08-13.

External links

• Official website
• "Governor Walz, Lieutenant Governor Flanagan Appoint Gwen Nell Westerman as Minnesota Poet Laureate," Gov. official website, September 9, 2021
• Gwen Westerman reflects on three years as state’s poet laureate