About Mary Black Bonnet

Mary Black Bonnet is an enrolled member of the Sicangu (Rosebud) Lakota Nation (incorrectly known to the greater world as the Rosebud Sioux Tribe.) She is married to one of the most evolved husbands and they are parents to the mind blowingly awesome Turtle. They all live on a 13 acre “ranchette” that boasts sandburs, wandering wildlife, and breathtaking 360 degree views.

The majority of her writing is nonfiction and ethno-historic essays, mostly dealing with issues faced by Lakota Women. She has published poetry, and nonfiction essays. Her work can be seen in Tribal College Journal, Frontiers: a Journal of Women’s studies, Genocide of the Mind, Eating Fire Tasting Blood, Sharing Our Stories: Native women surviving Violence, Birthed From Scorched Hearts, Oregon Literary Review and Potomac Review.

As an undergraduate at the University of South Dakota, she was awarded an NCUR grant that she used to tell the story of the White Swan People, and their forced removal by the government. This research was then published and presented repeatedly in South Dakota and at the NCUR conference at the University of Utah. She was an artist-in- residence at The Montana Artists Refuge, and was named One of South Dakota’s Ten Outstanding Young South Dakotans for her contributions to literature. She collaborated on a mixed media piece titled “Indian 3.0” which was presented at the University of Montana at Billings, and can now be viewed on You Tube.

She has been a visiting writer and writer- in- residence in various schools and universities and given numerous readings of her works. She enjoys working with Youth and Women and is working on doing writing and wellness workshops for them. She is a member of the Y writer’s voice and the Oak Lake Writer’s society.

When she isn’t being an Ina (mother) to the adorable Turtle, she can be found at her website: http://maryblackbonnet.blogspot.com