Ofelia Zepeda

Ofelia Zepeda (born 1952 in Stanfield, Arizona) is a Tohono O'odham poet and linguist known for her work in preserving and promoting the Tohono O'odham language. She serves as Regents' Professor of Tohono O'odham language and linguistics at the University of Arizona and directs the American Indian Language Development Institute (AILDI). Zepeda is also editor of Sun Tracks, a series published by the University of Arizona Press that highlights Native American artists and writers.

Zepeda has authored several linguistic studies, including "A Papago Grammar," developed from recordings of native speakers due to the lack of existing textbooks. She played a key role in establishing a language policy for her tribe that encourages Tohono O'odham instruction in schools. In 1995, she published her first book of poetry, *Ocean Power: Poems from the Desert*, with an introduction titled "Things That Help Me Begin to Remember."

Zepeda has received numerous accolades for her work, including a MacArthur Fellowship in 1999 and recognition for her contributions to linguistic preservation. Her efforts extend beyond academia; she consulted on NASA's Galileo probe message design and continues to advocate for indigenous language revitalization.

Her literary output includes multiple poetry collections, such as *Where Clouds Are Formed* (2008) and *Jewed 'i-hoi : O'odham c milga:n s-ke:g ha'icu cegĭtodag* (2005), which features poems in both Tohono O'odham and English. Despite her contributions, some of her work has faced censorship, notably when *Ocean Power: Poems from the Desert* was banned by Tucson schools in 2012.