Victor Charlo to share his poetry
courtesy photo
Local author Victor Charlo will read from a book of his poems on Saturday, Oct. 1 at the Ninepipes Museum of Early Montana.
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News from the Ninepipes Museum of Early Montana
NINEPIPES — Victor Charlo started writing poetry in high school and at age 81, he still has stories and poems yet to write. One such story he has in his head is about a stick game at Dixon. Charlo will share poems from his first published work, Put Sey, (Good Enough), at Ninepipes Museum of Early Montana at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 6.
While growing up in Evaro, where he was born, Charlo never dreamed that he’d see any of his poems get published. Many of his early pieces he shared with friends and ended up giving the only copy of his poems away to them. He is Bitterroot Salish and an elder of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. His father worked on the railroad while his mother tended to 12 other siblings, only seven of which survived to adulthood.
Following graduation from high school at Loyola in Missoula, Charlo entered the Jesuit Seminary where he studied for six years before realizing the priesthood was not his path. His first thought was to pursue a law career, but then set his mind to becoming an English teacher. As the time neared for his graduation from the University of Montana, with an English major, he discovered he had enough credits from his Latin and Greek studies at Gonzaga in Spokane to obtain a double major in both English and Latin.
Next, Charlo spent nearly six years teaching at Two Eagle River School in Pablo before returning to Gonzaga for his masters in administration and curriculum, being on track to become a principal. He then returned to Montana and spent nearly ten years working at the Kicking Horse Job Corps. Once a week he would take his students out for a drive, and ask for them to spend time writing either a story or a poem.
Charlo was living at Dirty Corner at this time, and dreamed of making a living from his writings. He palled around with Montana author Richard Hugo and traveled to Oregon with Hugo for a reading. Charlo wrote about this trip in a poem published in his second book of poetry, Dirty Corner Poems and Other Stories. It had been Charlo’s intention that the poems and stories from his Job Corps students would be incorporated into this book, but he suffered a stroke, which ended his teaching career and the work the students had done was regretfully lost to him.
Dixon has been home to Charlo for the past 20 years. Living at the old agency outside of Dixon, he lives quietly with his cat, Seeley II. He also enjoys being close to family and recounts with a smile that many precious days over the last three years were spent with his grandson, who just started preschool in Ronan. Charlo can also be seen frequently at the fitness center in St. Ignatius.
The October “First Saturday” featured artist is photographer Laurie Childs. According to Childs, her stunning photos, “… link people and emotions with the land that makes the West distinct. Through my camera, my heart comes home.”
Childs’ display in the Ninepipes Museum gift shop, depict the “the wild culture of the West, its welcoming communities, and their gritty work ethic.” Due to unforeseen circumstances, Childs will not be personally present on Saturday, as is the custom for “First Saturday” artists, but viewing her moving body of work is a not-to-be-missed opportunity.
Jim Pettit and Richard Tobel, two of our valley’s talented musicians, will provide favorite songs for everyone’s enjoyment from 2-3 p.m. At 3 p.m. the winning tickets for this year’s season-long raffle will be drawn. Two different raffle packages are available: one is a matted and framed Cynthie Fisher print, #37, “Return of the Monarch,” along with a bronze-painted buffalo skull; and the second package is an “American West” Pendleton robe with a buffalo skull. Raffle tickets can be purchased until the drawing at 3 p.m. and the winners need not be present to win.
The museum gift shop will have its end-of-season sale from Oct. 1-13 with many great discounts offered on select merchandise. Come do your Christmas shopping early and enjoy a fun day at Ninepipes Museum. Refreshments will be available.
Put Saturday, Oct. 6, on your calendar. Call the museum at 406-644-3435, if you have questions or would like to schedule a group tour.
