Jim Northrup

Jim Northrup, Anishinaabe, writes a syndicated column, Fond du Lac Follies, which is distributed in the The Circle, The Native American Press, and News From Indian Country. 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.

Jim and his family live the traditional life of the Anishinaabe in northern Minnesota. Nonetheless, his traditional lifestyle does not deter him from participating in events like the Taos Film Festival and the Taos Poetry Circus.

A short biography is available from the Internet Public Library's
Native American Author's Project.

Writing available online

A random sample of Jim's poems:

Jim's writing from other sites

Fond du Lac Follies
Rez Car

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 been 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 nomintated for a Minnesota Book Award, in the Creative Non-fiction catergory.

Fond du Lac Follies was named Best Column at the 1999 Native American Journalists Association convention.

Books by Jim Northrup or containing his work

Rez Road Follies, Canoes, Casinos, Computers and Birch Bark Baskets, Kodansha America.: Review of the book
Native America Calling interview with Jim Northrup in Rez Road Follies
Walking the Rez Road, Voyageur Press.
Days of Obsidian, Days of Grace, with Adrian Louis, Al Hunter, and Denise Sweet, 1994,: Poetry Harbor Press
Three more: poems, illustrations by Eva Two Crow,: Minnesota Center for Book Arts and the Loft, 1992.

Plays

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

Anthologies

Nitaawichige: Selected Poetry and Prose by Four Anishinaabe Writers, with Jim Northrup, Marcie Rendon &, 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.

Films/Videos in which Jim Appears

Jim Northrup: With Reservations, 1995, Center for International Education.: A review of 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.: Review of this PBS series "My favorite segment featured poet Jim Northrup."

Published Interviews with Jim and Papers About His Work

Revisiting Vietnam, Slideshow & RealAudio
Jim Northrup: A Voice without reservations an online interview by Leslie Harper [No longer available]
Down Home With Jim Northrup, by Mark Rolo, 1996, Aboriginal Voices, 3, 1.
"Walking with Jim Northrup and Sharing His "Rez"ervations", Roseanne Hoefel,: SAIL, 9, 2, 11.
"Stories, Humor, and Survival in Jim Northrup's Walking the Rez Road," Chris LaLonde,: SAIL, 9, 2, 23.
COLORS Magazine, Language of the Land Project, Volume 1, Issue 2: March/April, 1992,: David Mura and Jim Northrup on "Whose story is it, anyway?"
Northern Lights, A Look at Minnesota Books and Writers, video #270 of the series.

This is an "official" site in that this page was constructed with the assistance and active collaboration of the poet, Jim Northrup. The website "author" is Karen M. Strom.

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