Esther Martinez
| Esther Martinez | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Native name | P'oe Tsawa |
| Born | 1912 |
| Died | September 16, 2006 (aged 94) |
| Nationality | American |
| Other names | Estefanita Martinez, "Ko'oe Esther" |
| Education | Santa Fe Indian School, Albuquerque Indian School |
| Occupation | Linguist, teacher in Ohkay Owingeh, New Mexico |
| Known for | Dedication to preserving the Tewa language |
| Children | 10 |
| Relatives | Grandson, Dr. Matthew J. Martinez |
| Awards | National Heritage Fellowship (2006), Honorary Bachelor of Arts, Northern New Mexico College (2006); National Association for Bilingual Education, Pioneer Award (1992), Living Treasure Award from the State of New Mexico (1996), Indian Education Award for Teacher of the Year from the National Council of American Indians, Woman of the Year Award (1997), New Mexico Arts Commission Governor’s Award for Excellence and Achievement in the Arts (1998) and the Indigenous Language Institute Award for “Those Who Make a Difference”; (1999). |
Esther Martinez also known as Estefanita Martinez, (1912 – September 16, 2006) was a linguist and storyteller for the Tewa people of New Mexico. Martinez was given the Tewa name P'oe Tsawa (meaning Blue Water) and was also known by various affectionate names, including "Ko'oe Esther" and "Aunt Esther."
She lived to be 94 years old, and was known for her commitment to preserving the Tewa language. Her San Juan Pueblo Tewa Dictionary was published in 1982.
Martinez grew up in the southwest. She was born in Ignacio, Colorado, where she lived with her parents; later, she lived with her grandparents in Ohkay Owingeh. Later in life, she would write:
“You who have grandparents to talk to are so lucky, because I treasure my grandparents and the things that I have learned from them. My grandfather was a storyteller. Indian people get their lessons from stories they were told as children. So a lot of our stories are learning experiences.”
Martinez attended the Santa Fe Indian School and Albuquerque Indian School, graduating in 1930. "That she survived her years in boarding school and went on to help her community by perpetuating the language is a powerful statement," said her grandson, Matthew J. Martinez. "No matter the harsh conditions, she still carried that desire to hold on to her language and culture and document it and pass it on," said Martinez, who learned Tewa from her."
As an adult, Esther Martinez would become one of the greatest champions in the fight to preserve the Tewa language. New Mexico's first lady, Barbara Richardson, said "She went on to almost single-handedly save the Tewa language."
After graduation, she raised ten children and worked various cooking and cleaning jobs. In the mid-60s, while she was working at John F. Kennedy Middle School in Pueblo, she met a linguist, Randall Speirs, who asked for her help in documenting the Tewa language. She worked with him during the 1960s and 1970s to develop a Tewa language dictionary.
From about 1974 to 1989, Martinez taught Tewa at Ohkay Owingeh. She translated the New Testament into Tewa, in association with Wycliffe Bible Translators. She also wrote a collection of stories, My Life In San Juan Pueblo: Stories of Esther Martinez, published by University of Illinois Press in 2004, which received the Elli Köngäs-Maranda Prize. Martinez received an honorary Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education from Northern New Mexico College in 2006, where she worked with the Northern Pueblo Institute. She served as a traditional storyteller for the National Park Service.
...
Wikipedia