Laguna Woman

work by Silko

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June 30, 2026

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Laguna Woman is a poetry collection by Leslie Marmon Silko, published in 1974. It is considered a significant work in Native American literature.1

Silko, of mixed Laguna Pueblo, white, and Mexican heritage, grew up on the Laguna Pueblo reservation in New Mexico. Her poetry often draws from Laguna traditions, myths, and spirituality, exploring the relationship between humans and the natural world. Her work also addresses the challenges Native people face in maintaining their culture within an Anglo-dominated society.1

The collection is noted for its incorporation of Laguna stories and its focus on contemporary struggles to preserve Native culture.1

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Leslie Marmon Silko
Early life and writing
…stories and the poetry collection Laguna Woman (1974). Often referred to as the premier Native American writer of her generation, she frequently drew on the Laguna stories she had heard in childhood, combining concerns of Laguna spirituality, such as the relationship between human beings and the natural elements, with complex…
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…stories and the poetry collection Laguna Woman (1974). Often referred to as the premier Native American writer of her generation, she frequently drew on the Laguna stories she had heard in childhood, combining concerns of Laguna spirituality, such as the relationship between human beings and the natural elements, with complex…
Read More