Belcourt woman named North Dakota poet laureate

Apr. 8—BELCOURT, North Dakota — A Belcourt, North Dakota, woman has been appointed North Dakota's next poet laureate, the North Dakota Council on the Arts has announced.

Denise Lajimodiere, an enrolled citizen of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, will serve a two-year term in the position that was held by Larry Woiwode, who died in the spring of 2022. The North Dakota Legislature recently passed a Senate Concurrent Resolution that named her to this honorary position. Her term begins in July.

Lajimodiere, who has been involved in education for 44 years as an elementary school teacher, principal and professor, earned a bachelor's, master's and doctoral degree from UND. She is a retired associate professor in the educational leadership program at NDSU's School of Education.

Her work as a poet includes "Dragonfly Dance," Thunderbird," "Bitter Tears" and "His Feathers Were Chains." She also wrote a children's book, titled "Josie Dances."

Lajimodiere is one of the founders of the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition, and wrote the academic book, "Stringing Rosaries: The History, The Unforgivable, The Healing of Northern Plains Boarding School Survivors."

A traditional Jingle Dress dancer and Ojibwe Birch Bark Biting artist, Lajimodiere lives on the Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation.

As the newly named North Dakota poet laureate, she assumes the role held by Larry Woiwode, who had been designated as North Dakota Poet Laureate for life in 1985 and served for 37 years.

Woiwode named these associate poet laureates: Jamie Parsley, Rick Watson, Dave Solheim, Shadd Piehl, Heid Erdrich, Louise Erdrich, Warren Sturlaugson, Mark Vinz and Bonnie Larson Staiger. Woiwode also named Madelyn Camrud, of Grand Forks, as an associate poet laureate.

Other Native Americans have been among the state's poet laureates. Heid Erdrich is a member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibwe; Louise Erdrich is a member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa.

Previous North Dakota poet laureates include Corbin Waldron and associate poet laureates Henry R. Martinson and Lydia O. Jackson.

North Dakota has named a poet laureate since 1957. The honorary post promotes reading, writing and an appreciation of poetry through public appearances and teaching opportunities.