UI Press | Edited by Sue-Ellen Jacobs and Josephine Binford with M. Ellien Carroll, Henrietta M. Smith, and Tilar Mazzeo | My Life in San Juan Pueblo: Stories of Esther Martinez

My Life in San Juan Pueblo

Stories of Esther Martinez

Awards and Recognition:

Elli Kongas-Maranda Prize. Women's Section of the American Folklore Society, 2004.

American Indian stories from famed Traditional Storyteller for the National Park Service, Esther Martinez

My Life in San Juan Pueblo is a rich, rewarding, and uplifting collection of personal and cultural stories from a master of her craft. Esther Martinez's tales brim with entertaining characters that embody her Native American Tewa culture and its wisdom about respect, kindness, and positive attitudes. Sure to bring a smile to readers of all ages, this enchanting glimpse of an oral tradition passed from grandfather to granddaughter also features a CD of the stories as told by Esther Martinez herself.

"A treasure trove of information about Pueblo culture. . . . It is a rich resource for anyone interested in storytelling or in American-Indian life."--The Santa Fe New Mexican

"A delightful and uplifting book of traditional Pueblo life as told through the voice of a master storyteller."--New Mexico Magazine

"The books should prove valuable to storytellers, educators, and those with an interest in the history and culture of the Pueblos."--Montana Historical Society

Esther Martinez (aka P’oe Tsáwá, Blue Water, and Estefanita Martinez), a renowned storyteller from San Juan Pueblo, is a traditional storyteller for the National Park Service and for numerous public and private schools and professional organizations, as well as a Tewa language consultant to linguists and many academic institutions. Among her many recognitions are a Living Treasure Award from the State of New Mexico, the Indian Education Award for Teacher of the Year from the National Council of American Indians (1997), and the New Mexico Arts Commission Governor’s Award for Excellence and Achievement in the Arts.

Sue-Ellen Jacobs, who developed, shaped, and inspired this project, is a professor of womens studies at the University of Washington, the editor of Beatrice Medicine’s Learning to Be an Anthropologist and Remaining Native, and a coeditor of Two-Spirit People: Native American Gender Identity, Sexuality, and Spirituality. Josephine Binford, Esther Martinez’s daughter, is a public health nurse for the Indian Health Service with specialization in gerontology, giving her the honored position of caring for the Pueblo elders in Northern New Mexico, as well as care of her Mother. M. Eileen Carroll is the founder of Storytellers International. Henrietta M. Smith is professor emerita with the School of Library and Information Science at the University of South Florida in Tampa. Tilar Mazzeo is an assistant professor of English at the University of Wisconsin at Oshkosh. Tessie Naranjo, an enrolled member of Santa Clara Pueblo, is a sociologist and the vice president of the board of the Indigenous Languages Institute.