Willma Mankiller’s video shared the past, present and future of Native Americans.   As stated in her video, Mankiller was the first female Chief of the Cherokee.  She led the Cherokee from 1985-1999 and in 1998, received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from then President Bill Clinton, which is the highest award given to a civilian (1).  Mankiller speaks from the heart regarding her first-hand experience with regards to things like land allotment and relocation.  Additionally, she talks about living in poverty within a multicultural setting.

At first I thought this was going to be another well-constructed and organized presentation regarding the trials and tribulations of a living Native American.  Not that I am downplaying the events that took place or the struggles still present for living Native Americans.  However, throughout this course I personally feel like I have been waiting to learn about an Indian leader whose focus is not so much on what has happened in the past but what do we need to do in the future.  Then, Willma Mankiller used the words ownership and accountability.  These are phrases we had yet to hear in our journey through this course and learning about the first peoples of North America.  Anyone can tell that much of Mankiller’s drive is a result of past events but her insight into what needs to take place for Native Americans to achieve whatever goals or accomplishments moving forward was motivating and no doubt one of the reasons she made such a great impact and achieved the recognition she did.

Mankiller talked about Native Americans taking ownership of their lives and not relying on others to fulfill their destiny.  She talked about Native Americans taking ownership of their communities and utilizing all the human resources available.  Coming together as whole, working together and that within their community they have all that they need.

She not only spoke inspirationally about ownership and accountability, she also explained how to do it.  Mankiller touched on the global problems faced by indigenous people on every continent, however, she addressed the point that not everything is a major problem and that larger, seemingly impossible problems, can be broken down into much smaller and digestible tasks that are easily obtainable throw the collaborated efforts of most Native American communities.

This video for me was the perfect resolution for this course.  I knew going into this course that much of what I was going to learn and be exposed to would be, for lack of a better word, depressing.  This video provides the realization that the Native American culture is not lost and that there is hope and a future for Native Americans in America.

 

 

Works Cited:

1. Mankiller, Wilma:  Governance, Leadership and the Cherokee Nation.  September 28, 2008.  <https://nnidatabase.org/video/wilma-mankiller-governance-leadership-and-cherokee-nation>