Wilma Mankiller

We reviewed the video of Wilma Mankiller speaking at Arizona State University, describing the challenges that Native American tribes will face in the 21st Century. It is meant to display the point of a view of Wilma Mankiller, a former chief of the Cherokee tribe, and her views on the future of indigenous groups, the challenges they will face and how indigenous groups can best approach these issues. Her words speak with the authority of a community leader and as an expert not only on Native American people but on indigenous people around the world. She speaks of the connectiveness and similarities that indigenous groups have world wide. She speaks of how these groups can and should unite around. These groups face both unique challenges that are present only to indigenous groups but also larger issues such as climate change, that all humans across globe face. It is important I believe as sometimes Native American groups and all indigenous groups can be marginalized and people can forget the role that they play in the large geopolitical frame work. I believe that they can also forget how these large events, that are often spoken of in terms of super powers and great nations can ignore the needs of indigenous people and how they will be effected by these things.

She spoke about the invisibility of indigenous groups in the larger framework of society and how this is detrimental both to the needs and psyches of indigenous people, She also spoek of how this allows indigenous needs to be ignored and sidelined. Something that I believe is incredibly true. It seems to me that it is necessary for native people to become more visible to the rest of the country as to increase their power politically and economically.


Wilma Mankiller: Challenges Facing 21st. Century Indigenous People”.  2013.  Arizona State University.  Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9K_rVUmV7Y8&feature=youtu.be. November 26, 2018. 

Comments

  1. CKaneDecember 13, 2018 at 6:07 AM

    I agree with you that Natives need to become more visible to the rest of the world. I think with more education in schools at younger levels is very important. I am 41 years old, and up until this moment knew none of the stuff that we had learned throughout the course. I think if children learn about the natives cultural earlier, then one day it may be more understood as adults and things could change.

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  2. UnknownDecember 13, 2018 at 10:53 AM

    I agreed...I am very impress upon hearing about this woman Wilma Mankiller..the first woman chief of the Cherokee Nation. To be honest this is the first time I am reading about her, I remember there is a saying “the more things you read the more things you will learn”. Wilma with positive influence and dedication received the highest honor award from AAUW in 1993 and in 1998 the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

    Reference:
    https://www.aauw.org/2013/11/20/wilma-mankiller/

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  3. UnknownDecember 13, 2018 at 7:28 PM

    Wilma Mankiller is an inspiration to all Native American communities. I was totally blown away with her points which gave meaning to being a 21st century indigenous person which I perceived as universal. It is interesting to note that her points are applicable to all and that she encourages everyone native and non-native to be a part of the work each tribe with others are involved in. Mankiller is a dynamic woman whose vision for the future is manifesting.

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