Alcheringa collection
Scope and Content Note
The records in the Alcheringa Collection span the entire history of the magazine, including approximately 100 manuscript items representing a broad range of the poetry, articles, and reviews that were published; approximately 200 letters and 46 postcards from internationally known poets, anthropologists and folklorists including Michael Corr, Robert Creeley, Ted Enslin, Jerome Rothenberg, Gary Snyder, Nathaniel Tarn, and Dennis Tedlock; approximately 1,219 items of business records including subscription lists, permissions, budget reports, advertising information, copyrights, requisitions, correspondence with other magazines, and other related documents; and miscellaneous photographs and peripherals.
Dates
- 1970-1980
Language of Materials
Collection material in English.
Terms of Access
The Alcheringa Collection, 1970-1980, is open for research.
Copyright
Copyright of papers in the collection may be held by their authors, or the authors' heirs or assigns. Researchers must obtain the written permission of the holder(s) of copyright and the Poetry Collection before requesting photocopies and/or publishing quotations from materials in the collection. Once permission is obtained, most papers may be copied in accordance with the library's usual procedures unless otherwise specified.
Historical Note
Presented as "A First Magazine of the World's Tribal Poetries," Alcheringa, edited by Jerome Rothenberg and Dennis Tedlock, was an important publication dedicated to the study of ethnopoetics. Focusing on the intersections of poetry, poetics, anthropology, performance, translation, and issues of orality, the magazine included both innovative English translations of ancient and modern "oral/tribal" poetry from across the globe as well as contemporary experimental writing of an orally performative nature. As the masthead of later issues defines it, the word Alcheringa "comes from the Arunta of Australia" and "refers to dreams, to the mythic past, and to moments when a new song makes itself heard through a singer." Contributing editors included David Antin, Robert Kelly, Simon Ortiz, Gary Snyder, and Nathaniel Tarn. Issues 1 though 5 were published from Fall 1970 to Spring-Summer 1973, followed by a New Series of 8 issues published by Boston University from 1975 to 1980 and titled Alcheringa: Ethnopoetics. Several issues have as inserts discs of recordings ranging from a Zuni performance by Andrew Peynatsa to a poetry reading by Anne Waldman. New Series Volume 2, Number 2 is a special issue edited by Michel Benamou and Jerome Rothenberg featuring papers from Ethnopoetics: A First International Symposium.
Extent
33.5 Linear Feet (39 clamshell boxes, 1 map case drawer)
Abstract
The Alcheringa Collection spans the entire history of the magazine, including approximately 100 manuscript items representing a broad range of the poetry, articles, and reviews that were published; approximately 200 letters and 46 postcards from internationally known poets, anthropologists and folklorists including Michael Corr, Robert Creeley, Ted Enslin, Jerome Rothenberg, Gary Snyder, Nathaniel Tarn, and Dennis Tedlock; approximately 1,219 items of business records including subscription lists, permissions, budget reports, advertising information, copyrights, requisitions, correspondence with other magazines, and other related documents; and miscellaneous photographs and peripherals.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged in five series: I. Manuscripts (15 boxes alphabetized), II. Business records (9 boxes semi-sorted by issue), III. Letters (15 boxes alphabetized), IV. Photographs (2 boxes unsorted), and V. Peripherals (1 box unsorted).
Acquisition Information
Donated to the Poetry Collection by Dennis Tedlock, SUNY Distinguished Professor and James H. McNulty Chair of English at the State University of New York at Buffalo, in December 1989.
Processing Information
Collection processed by Poetry Collection staff.
- American poetry -- 20th century Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Beat generation Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Periodicals -- Folk poetry Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Poetics Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Poetry -- Publishing Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Poetry -- Translating Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Poets, American -- 20th century -- Interviews Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Poets, American--20th century Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Publishers and Publishing -- Correspondence Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- State University of New York at Buffalo. Archival resources
Source
- The Poetry Collection (Repository, Organization)
- Title
- Finding aid for Alcheringa collection
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Finding aid prepared by James Maynard and revised by Marie Elia.
- Date
- 2008
- Description rules
- Finding Aid Prepared Using Local Best Practices
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written in English.
Repository Details
Part of the The Poetry Collection Repository
420 Capen Hall
Buffalo New York 14260-1674 US
716-645-2917
716-645-3714 (Fax)
lpo-poetry@buffalo.edu