Wilma Mankiller is a great example
of a resilient Native American woman who is devoted to helping American Indians
with modern-day challenges. She has transformed
her early experience and knowledge into eighteen honorary doctorates and over a
dozen published journal articles. She is
recognized as a Dartmouth Fellow, she has presented multiple university
lectures, and she has been honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom for
her work in advocating for Native people and for educating the public about the
issues they face (CSU Sonoma, 2008). These
would be amazing accomplishments for any one person, but when we consider that
Mankiller is a Native woman who has faced a life time of challenges as an American
Indian, her accomplishments should be considered exceptional. Her resilience in facing these challenges
herself, and for advocating for the rights of all Natives, has provided her
with an authoritative voice in the field of Native American issues.
With
her extensive history, her diligence in her cause and her continuity of advocacy,
her input is helpful in understanding the Native American journey. When she speaks of the context of the Native
American experience she suggests that people are not truly aware of the
deep-rooted issues that Native Americans face.
She talks about the importance of maintaining tribal cultures and traditions
while moving them forward into future generations. This is a priority in maintaining a continued
culture base where Natives and non-Natives can come together with an equal
degree of respect.
Her
focus on respect and peace is a constant theme among many Native tribes, like
the Hopi for instance, who respect all life forms and who understand that all
forms of life work together to create a balance that sustains life and
generates new life. This is the most incredible
aspect of the Native culture considering the travesties that have been brought
against them. To continue the quest for
peace and respect, even for those who try to demolish their life-ways and
spiritual traditions and cultures, the Native American population appears much
more civilized and educated than the non-Native population.
CSU Sonoma. “Wilma Mankiller.”
Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 6 Feb. 2008. Web. 21 Aug., 2014. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVLgwpHSYv0
I would say that the Native people are more wise. Having wisdom allows people to see the whole picture and be more understanding. People may have knowledge to build an atomic bomb, but it is having wisdom that makes you not use it. I liked how Wilma explained how you cannot get things done with anger in your heart and tears in your eyes. It explains how Native people are peaceful and respectful. They see the whole picture, because they know what they do affects other generations. They are concerned for the future of their children and just want to hold on to their culture. They may experience hard times but it is how you handle it. Wilma Mankiller made it easy to understand this, when she described how they have balance and stay positive.
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DeleteNatives have the foresight to look beyond the here and now and to consider consequences of people’s actions. From everything I’ve learned about the Native culture it’s clear that they are concerned with more than just possessions, and they don’t act out of greed. It seems as though they follow a higher path of spiritual teachings instead of focusing on how much “stuff” they can get. Throughout this entire course I have learned a lot about the Great Spirit that guides the Hopi people and I think that they are dedicated in following his life path. For great, first-hand information about the Hopi experience, as told by Hopi elder Dan Katchongva, check out this website of a 1972 interview with Katchongva that was originally published by the Committee for Traditional Indian Land and Life: http://www.hopiland.net/index.php?pg=47&body=katch-1
DeleteWilma is a great inspiration. Hopefully schools will continue to see improvement and natives will continue to inspire to strive to obtaining higher degrees and better paying jobs which will hopefully assist in a positive result within their family incomes, ways of living and continued positive contribution to society. Wilma was a motivator with great insight on filtering out the negativity and keeping closely rooted to individual native beliefs and values.
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