Wilma Mankiller, A true leader

Wilma Mankiller, became the first female ever elected as Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma In 1985. I have learned during my Studies of the Cherokee being Warriors and taking a stand against the Americans on numerous occasions. I was initially intrigued with her name “Mankiller” what was the significance? Was it part of her upbringing, did she earn the name to become Chief? As the interview proceeds it is revealed her Grandfather was named ‘Yone’, which meant Bear and subsequently was interpreted as Mankiller.

Wilma spoke in a mild, soft tone and professed her love of the Cherokee people, in describing many of her life experiences in the interview. Having lived from 1945 to 2010 she experienced many effects and the consequences of the US Government actions and laws such as the Dawes and Curtis Acts and the land allotment which displaced many of the Indians and weakened their representation.

Wilma describes her family’s plight as a participant in the Bureau of Indian Affairs relocation program, her family was moved to a housing project in San Francisco, California. It was a point of development for Wilma as it educated her in Life lessons where urban black poor families developed interdependence, responsibility for others in your community in order to live and survive and possibly succeed.

As a young housewife Wilma joined the Indian protest occupation of Alcatraz around 1970.  This involvement provided another important piece of knowledge which helped shape her manner of thinking. She met people with leadership skills who were able to articulate their feelings they had about being Indian and the fundamental rights they earned and conditions under which Indian tribes were living. One of those leaders was Richard Oakes, a Mohawk who was ‘very articulate and very clear about the importance of tribal citizens taking ownership in rebuilding their communities.

Wilma was able to mold those principles amongst some others and earn the vote of the Cherokee Nation and become elected into leadership position as Deputy Chief in 1983 which eventually lead to her assenting to become Chief. Her leadership skills and making the Cherokee Nation become independent of Government dependence reinvigorated the tribe in adding Cherokee language and history to be taught to the children, and new tribal employees to maintain the history and pride in their heritage.

Wilma enjoyed much success as Chief and received many accolades including the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Bill Clinton in 1998. She impressed me with her demeanor and ability to express herself as a leader showing clear understanding of where her ancestors have been and where she sees them going for the future. She was an established Author telling her story in a book Mankiller a Chief and Her People. A very impressive woman, and no she is not at all a Mankiller.

Sources

The University of Arizona, Indigenous Governance Database Interview, Wilma Mankiller: Governance, Leadership and the Cherokee Nation, 

Remembering Wilma Mankiller; www.Cherokee .org; http://www.cherokee.org/News/Stories/31956.aspxAccessed August 25, 2015 https://nnidatabase.org/video/wilma-mankiller-governance-leadership-and-cherokee-nation 

The Peoples Paths Home Page , Mankiller Receives highest Civilian Honor; Russell Mills Jan 15, 1998 Photo courtesy NBC Newschannel; http://www.yvwiiusdinvnohii.net/Cherokee/News/Jan98/wilma-mankiller-pres.JPG

Mankiller A Chief and Her People; Wilma Mankiller and Michael Wallis, 1993, St. Martins Press, New York, NY Cover