Martinez, Esther 1912-2006 (Ko'oe Esther, Estefanita Martinez, P'oe Tsawa)

PERSONAL:

Born 1912, in Ignacio, CO; died in a traffic accident, September 16, 2006, in Espanola, NM; children: ten. Education: Graduated from Albuquerque Indian School, 1930.

CAREER:

Educator, writer, linguist, and storyteller. San Juan Pueblo school district, San Juan Pueblo (now Ohkay Owînge), NM, began as Tewa language instructor, became director of bilingual education, 1974-1989; storyteller through Storytelling International, 1988-2006. Also worked in various service positions, including cook and janitor.

AWARDS, HONORS:

Pioneer Award, National Association for Bilingual Education, 1992; Living Treasure Award, State of New Mexico, 1996; Teacher of the Year award, National Council of American Indians, 1997; Governor's Award for Excellence and Achievement in the Arts, New Mexico Arts Commission, 1998; Award for "Those Who Make a Difference," Indigenous Language Institute, 1999; Elli Köngäs-Maranda Prize, Women's Section of the American Folklore Society, 2004, for My Life in San Juan Pueblo: Stories of Esther Martinez; National Heritage Fellowship, National Endowment for the Arts, 2006.

WRITINGS:

San Juan Pueblo Tewa Dictionary, San Juan Pueblo Bilingual Program (San Juan Pueblo, NM), 1982.

(As Estefanita Martinez) The Naughty Little Rabbit and Old Man Coyote: A Tew Story from San Juan Pueblo, Children's Press, 1992.

My Life in San Juan Pueblo: Stories of Esther Martinez, University of Illinois Press (Urbana, IL), 2004.

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

BOOKS

Martinez, Esther, My Life in San Juan Pueblo: Stories of Esther Martinez, University of Illinois Press (Urbana, IL), 2004.

ONLINE

VG: Voices from the Gaps,http://voices.cla.umn.edu/ (April 5, 2005), biography of Esther Martinez.

OBITUARIES

PERIODICALS

Washington Post, September 19, 2006, p. B6.

ONLINE

National Endowment for the Arts Web site,http://www.nea.gov/ (September 17, 2006).