Sabine Ulibarrí

Who was Sabine Ulibarrí?

Dr. Sabine Reyes Ulibarrí was an American poet. He was also a teacher, a writer, a critic, and a statesman. Ulibarrí was born in Tierra Amarilla, New Mexico.

Sabine Ulibarrí served his country in World War II with the U.S. Army Air Corps. He was decorated for his valor during the war with two medals, the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal. After the war he continued his studies at the University of New Mexico where he received his Master's in Spanish. After teaching for a few years at UNM he enrolled in the University of California, Los Angeles where he worked on his doctorate in Spanish literature. After receiving his doctorate in 1958 from UCLA he returned to the University of New Mexico and taught Spanish and Spanish-American literature until he retired in 1982.

Sabine Ulibarri is known widely for his use of language when crafting his stories, and the use of details of rural New Mexican Spanish and native American life. His stories are considered some of the earliest roots in modern Hispano Literature taking shape both in Spanish and English. His books, Mi Abuela Fumaba Puros' and 'Mi Caballo Mago' and 'Tierra Amarilla: and other stories' are considered by many native New Mexican writers as quintessential examples of modern Hispanic literature and have inspired countless young Hispanics to become writers and educators.