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Read Rebecca Roanhorse’s History Making Nebula Awards Speech
On May 20, 2018, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Rebecca Roanhorse made history.
Apex Magazine Issue 99
Rebecca Roanhorse, Allison Mills, Pamela Rentz, Mari Kurisato, Daniel Heath Justice
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Her short story “Welcome to Your Authentic Indian Experience™” (Apex Magazine Issue 99, August 2017) became the first short story written by an Indigenous American to win a Nebula—in fact, as far as we can determine, she may be the first Indigenous American writer to win a Nebula, period (William Sanders, a member of the Cherokee nation, was nominated several times, but never won).
Significantly, Roanhorse’s story is explicitly about her Native identity and heritage, grappling as it does with the ways Indigenous culture has been appropriated and erased by colonizing forces, tranformed into something “Authentic” that bears little resemblance to reality, historical or present tense. The story is narrated by an embittered Native “tour guide” working for a company called “Sedona Sweats” that seeks to recreate “realistic” experience of Native culture for its guests via immersive virtual reality. Far from providing a look into life as it was actually lived by Natives, the company’s “Experiences” are the stuff of poorly researched Western movies and novels—”Tourists don’t want a real Indian experience. They want what they see in the movies, and who can blame them? Movie Indians are terrific!” the narrator comments.
It’s an important story in the sense of what it represents, but also an excellent winner—entertaining and provocative in equal measure, in the way only a really great sci-fi story can be. It’s not much of a surprise its list of bonafides is so long—in addition to the Nebula win, it’s also a nominee for this year’s Hugo Award for Best Short Story, as well as the 2017 Sturgeon Award.
Rebecca Roanhorse made history in one other way that evening: in her acceptance speech, she became the first person to address attendees in Tewa from the winner’s podium.
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For posterity—and because it’s a damn powerful speech—we’re presenting the complete text of Roanhorse’s acceptance speech below. Read it, and if you haven’t done so, read the winning story. (You’ll also want to look out for her debut novel, Trail of Lightning, a post-apocalyptic fantasy in which the monsters of Navajo legend stalk the earth and must be hunted down by Maggie Hoskie, a member of the resurgent Diné people—it’s out June 26.)
Sengikhuu (Good Evening),
We gather tonight on the shared traditional homelands of Iroquois and Algonquin-speaking peoples. Let us never forget those who came before us, those who are still here, and those that will be here when we are gone.
“Welcome to Your Authentic Indian Experience(TM)” was part of a special issue of Apex Magazine, edited by Dr. Amy Sturgis. This story was my first short story. It is a story that may have never been written if Amy didn’t solicit it, if Apex didn’t dedicate that August issue to “Indigenous American Fantasists.” So, thank you to Amy Sturgis, and Apex Editor-in-Chief Jason Sizemore.
It astounds me to this day, this moment, that so many people love this very Indigenous story about the horrors of appropriation and consumerism. I am honored. It means everything to me. It means more to Indigenous SFF writers. Let this be a call to all the editors and gatekeepers in this room: Indigenous people are still here. We are writing, and we have stories to tell.
Ku’daa (Thank you)
Rebecca Roanhorse offers her bio as such: SFF writer. Nebula winner. Hugo, Sturgeon and Locus Award Finalist. Campbell Award Finalist. Pug owner. Yale grad. Lawyer. Ohkay Owingeh /Black. Navajo in-law. Based in Northern New Mexico.
Preorder Trail of Lightning, available June 26, 2018 from Saga Press.