Ask the Author: Taté Walker
Answered Questions (2)
Taté Walker
"The Trickster Riots" is an illustrated poetry book inspired by the Lakota trickster, Iktomi (which translates to Spider). Tricksters like Iktomi teach us valuable lessons about cultural values and community/familial expectations. Despite this, they are the antagonists of stories, the wrongdoers - someone who gets in trouble so we don't have to. They aren't necessarily good or bad (though they do get up to some seriously nasty business); Iktomi is just Iktomi.
I don't think we talk enough about how tricksters force us to think outside of binaries. Tricksters are on the frontlines of change - the original disrupters who make us consider different ways to do things, even if we don't like how that looks.
I've got tricksy vibes. As a queer, neurodivergent mother fighting against injustice, I'm often told by authorities and gatekeepers to uphold the status quo or suffer the consequences. I know I'm the villain in some stories, but I also hope my actions have helped remove another's eye wool, if only to glimpse brighter possibilities.
The poems in this book explore body positivity, genderqueerness, motherhood, viral encounters, pretendians, karendians, mascots, auntie humor, land back, and other topics of Indigenous excellence/colonial impotence. My hope is folx read it and feel inspired to disrupt status quo behaviors and systems.
I don't think we talk enough about how tricksters force us to think outside of binaries. Tricksters are on the frontlines of change - the original disrupters who make us consider different ways to do things, even if we don't like how that looks.
I've got tricksy vibes. As a queer, neurodivergent mother fighting against injustice, I'm often told by authorities and gatekeepers to uphold the status quo or suffer the consequences. I know I'm the villain in some stories, but I also hope my actions have helped remove another's eye wool, if only to glimpse brighter possibilities.
The poems in this book explore body positivity, genderqueerness, motherhood, viral encounters, pretendians, karendians, mascots, auntie humor, land back, and other topics of Indigenous excellence/colonial impotence. My hope is folx read it and feel inspired to disrupt status quo behaviors and systems.
Taté Walker
A lot of my blocks are attached to anxiety, and I find working through a block like I would any other stressful situation helps tremendously. I inhale several deep breaths while thinking about nothing but the seconds it takes to pull air to me and let it out again for at least a minute. Then I take several gulps of water. I stretch and/or walk around the area I'm in (something short to get the blood moving). By this time I've calmed myself enough to figure out if the block is something I can remove from my path or if need to come at it from a different direction.
Making bulleted lists of what needs to go into a piece also helps during a block episode. Lists are easy wins - something that make me feel accomplished, especially if I'm below my own expectations for the day's goals. If I'm struggling with stringing words together, whether it's a poem or a research paper, I'll make a list of things I things I know I want to incorporate for when I've hurdled the block. These lists can be comprised of single words, full (if choppy) sentences, or even whole paragraphs--however long they need to be in order for me to pick up the thread when I return to the list later.
I'm also inspired by other writers, and keep favorite books on-hand to read when I'm not at my best. I'm entertained and influenced all in one go!
I'm my own worst enemy, and blocks can feel like self-sabotage, so I try to be gentle with myself as I work to overcome whatever is in my way.
Note: I'm not always successful using any of these strategies, and I've learned to be OK with that.
Making bulleted lists of what needs to go into a piece also helps during a block episode. Lists are easy wins - something that make me feel accomplished, especially if I'm below my own expectations for the day's goals. If I'm struggling with stringing words together, whether it's a poem or a research paper, I'll make a list of things I things I know I want to incorporate for when I've hurdled the block. These lists can be comprised of single words, full (if choppy) sentences, or even whole paragraphs--however long they need to be in order for me to pick up the thread when I return to the list later.
I'm also inspired by other writers, and keep favorite books on-hand to read when I'm not at my best. I'm entertained and influenced all in one go!
I'm my own worst enemy, and blocks can feel like self-sabotage, so I try to be gentle with myself as I work to overcome whatever is in my way.
Note: I'm not always successful using any of these strategies, and I've learned to be OK with that.
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