Wilma Mankiller is dead at 64.
April 6, 2010 10:40 AM Subscribe
Wilma Mankiller, first woman principal chief of the Cherokee Nation, is dead at 64. "Prior to my election, young Cherokee girls would never have thought that they might grow up and become chief."
Mankiller speaks on "Challenges Facing 21st century Indigenous People" in 2008. Bitch Magazine profiles her life and work. Salon.com feature from 2001.
Mankiller speaks on "Challenges Facing 21st century Indigenous People" in 2008. Bitch Magazine profiles her life and work. Salon.com feature from 2001.
She had an awesome name, too.
Especially when you consider that the current Chief of the Cherokee Nation is named Chad Smith. Kinda sounds more like the chief of Phi Kappa Alpha or what have you.
posted by DecemberBoy at 10:50 AM on April 6, 2010
Especially when you consider that the current Chief of the Cherokee Nation is named Chad Smith. Kinda sounds more like the chief of Phi Kappa Alpha or what have you.
posted by DecemberBoy at 10:50 AM on April 6, 2010
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From the second link: Her family believes their surname signifies a Cherokee military ranking.
I'm sad I've only learned of her due to her death. Thanks for this.
posted by filthy light thief at 10:50 AM on April 6, 2010
From the second link: Her family believes their surname signifies a Cherokee military ranking.
I'm sad I've only learned of her due to her death. Thanks for this.
posted by filthy light thief at 10:50 AM on April 6, 2010
I always admired her so much. What a terrific role model. I think I better tell my daughters all about her as soon as I can do it without getting all choked up.
posted by padraigin at 11:03 AM on April 6, 2010
posted by padraigin at 11:03 AM on April 6, 2010
Careful: The cherokeehistory.com URL on the second link (the america.gov website) gives me the Attack Site warning page in Firefox.
Otherwise excellent FPP.
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posted by Splunge at 11:03 AM on April 6, 2010
Otherwise excellent FPP.
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posted by Splunge at 11:03 AM on April 6, 2010
I was the banquet chef at a hotel in Tulsa in the early '90s and we often hosted meetings for the Cherokee Nation leaders. I met Chief Mankiller once, and only very briefly, but she came across as someone very focused and determined. I remember that all the Native American employees I worked with had a lot of respect for her, no matter what their own tribal affiliation was. I've long since moved away from Oklahoma, but I agree with domino - it's too bad she didn't get to run for Governor.
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posted by ralan at 11:06 AM on April 6, 2010
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posted by ralan at 11:06 AM on April 6, 2010
I'm also only learning of her through this post, so thank you.
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posted by zarq at 11:09 AM on April 6, 2010
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posted by zarq at 11:09 AM on April 6, 2010
Mankiller requested that any gifts in her honor be made as donations to One Fire Development Corporation, a non-profit dedicated to advancing Native American communities though economic development, and to valuing the wisdom that exists within each of the diverse tribal communities around the world. Tax deductible donations can be made at www.wilmamankiller.com as well as www.onefiredevelopment.org. The mailing address for One Fire Development Corporation is 1220 Southmore Houston, TX 77004.
posted by anastasiav at 11:11 AM on April 6, 2010
posted by anastasiav at 11:11 AM on April 6, 2010
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posted by spinifex23 at 11:14 AM on April 6, 2010
posted by spinifex23 at 11:14 AM on April 6, 2010
I've admired her and been grateful for her presence on this planet for a long time.
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posted by rtha at 11:23 AM on April 6, 2010
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posted by rtha at 11:23 AM on April 6, 2010
My junior high social studies class used to have to read and discuss "Junior Scholastic" magazine or some shit like that. She was quoted in an article in the magazine about Native American rights and I went through a period of referring to my mother as "Wilma Mankiller" for a couple weeks. Seriously.
Mom felt it was inaccurate, but "Margaret Recklessdriver" doesn't have the same ring to it.
posted by Mayor Curley at 11:23 AM on April 6, 2010 [6 favorites]
Mom felt it was inaccurate, but "Margaret Recklessdriver" doesn't have the same ring to it.
posted by Mayor Curley at 11:23 AM on April 6, 2010 [6 favorites]
She was one of the women who taught me that not all women had to be weak, despicable doormats. I'll always be grateful to her for that.
posted by QIbHom at 11:32 AM on April 6, 2010
posted by QIbHom at 11:32 AM on April 6, 2010
hippybear: "The cherokeehistory.com URL on the second link (the america.gov website) gives me the Attack Site warning page in Firefox.
It doesn't in Safari / MacOS... What triggers those things, and what is a .gov domain doing with whatever that is that triggers such things? Or is there some kind of referral process within Firefox's List Of Dangerous Sites which has been hacked to include this website?"
This is the page that I get.
posted by Splunge at 11:35 AM on April 6, 2010
It doesn't in Safari / MacOS... What triggers those things, and what is a .gov domain doing with whatever that is that triggers such things? Or is there some kind of referral process within Firefox's List Of Dangerous Sites which has been hacked to include this website?"
This is the page that I get.
posted by Splunge at 11:35 AM on April 6, 2010
I was just coming over here to write this post. Glad to see its already here.
posted by jessamyn at 11:36 AM on April 6, 2010
posted by jessamyn at 11:36 AM on April 6, 2010
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posted by MexicanYenta at 11:38 AM on April 6, 2010
posted by MexicanYenta at 11:38 AM on April 6, 2010
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my better half and I will give our notional daughter the middle name "Mankiller" should she come to fruition so to speak
posted by jtron at 11:45 AM on April 6, 2010
my better half and I will give our notional daughter the middle name "Mankiller" should she come to fruition so to speak
posted by jtron at 11:45 AM on April 6, 2010
She was one of the women who taught me that not all women had to be weak, despicable doormats. I'll always be grateful to her for that.
can't we just merge this thread with the one on erotic capital, be a fitting epitaph of what can be, rather than what 'should be' or 'has been'...
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posted by infini at 11:47 AM on April 6, 2010
can't we just merge this thread with the one on erotic capital, be a fitting epitaph of what can be, rather than what 'should be' or 'has been'...
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posted by infini at 11:47 AM on April 6, 2010
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She did some really great things for us. In particular arranging it so that we could manage our own federal funds.
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Especially when you consider that the current Chief of the Cherokee Nation is named Chad Smith. Kinda sounds more like the chief of Phi Kappa Alpha or what have you.
posted by DecemberBoy
Chad Smith is the direct descendant of Redbird Smith. It was common, after relocation to Indian Territory for Cherokees (and members of other tribes) to be given Anglo surnames. There are Smiths on my maternal grandmother's side of the family, and I grew up with a boy that was Creek, whose grandfather had been chief of the tribe--and whose last name was MacIntosh.
posted by kaiseki at 11:52 AM on April 6, 2010 [2 favorites]
She did some really great things for us. In particular arranging it so that we could manage our own federal funds.
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Especially when you consider that the current Chief of the Cherokee Nation is named Chad Smith. Kinda sounds more like the chief of Phi Kappa Alpha or what have you.
posted by DecemberBoy
Chad Smith is the direct descendant of Redbird Smith. It was common, after relocation to Indian Territory for Cherokees (and members of other tribes) to be given Anglo surnames. There are Smiths on my maternal grandmother's side of the family, and I grew up with a boy that was Creek, whose grandfather had been chief of the tribe--and whose last name was MacIntosh.
posted by kaiseki at 11:52 AM on April 6, 2010 [2 favorites]
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posted by cybercoitus interruptus at 11:55 AM on April 6, 2010
posted by cybercoitus interruptus at 11:55 AM on April 6, 2010
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posted by trip and a half at 12:01 PM on April 6, 2010
posted by trip and a half at 12:01 PM on April 6, 2010
It doesn't in Safari / MacOS... What triggers those things, and what is a .gov domain doing with whatever that is that triggers such things? Or is there some kind of referral process within Firefox's List Of Dangerous Sites which has been hacked to include this website?"
FWIW, I don't get it in Firefox on MacOs, either. The link opened just fine for me.
posted by zarq at 12:04 PM on April 6, 2010
FWIW, I don't get it in Firefox on MacOs, either. The link opened just fine for me.
posted by zarq at 12:04 PM on April 6, 2010
It was common, after relocation to Indian Territory for Cherokees (and members of other tribes) to be given Anglo surnames.
I know that, and I didn't really mean anything by it, it's just that "Chad" is such an extremely white name. My friends and I even use "Chad" as a synonym for frat types.
posted by DecemberBoy at 12:07 PM on April 6, 2010
I know that, and I didn't really mean anything by it, it's just that "Chad" is such an extremely white name. My friends and I even use "Chad" as a synonym for frat types.
posted by DecemberBoy at 12:07 PM on April 6, 2010
I know that, and I didn't really mean anything by it, it's just that "Chad" is such an extremely white name. My friends and I even use "Chad" as a synonym for frat types.
posted by DecemberBoy
I realize I may have sounded a little confrontational. Sorry.
FWIW, my friends and I play the same game, but usually with names like "Hunter", "Forrest" or "Devon"'.
Chad is a particularly WASPy name.
posted by kaiseki at 12:38 PM on April 6, 2010
posted by DecemberBoy
I realize I may have sounded a little confrontational. Sorry.
FWIW, my friends and I play the same game, but usually with names like "Hunter", "Forrest" or "Devon"'.
Chad is a particularly WASPy name.
posted by kaiseki at 12:38 PM on April 6, 2010
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posted by sigmagalator at 12:43 PM on April 6, 2010
posted by sigmagalator at 12:43 PM on April 6, 2010
I learned of Wilma Mankiller when I read Marilou Awiakta's Selu back in my college days. She was an inspiration, a force for good, a strong leader.
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posted by custardfairy at 12:49 PM on April 6, 2010
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posted by custardfairy at 12:49 PM on April 6, 2010
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posted by fourcheesemac at 1:07 PM on April 6, 2010
posted by fourcheesemac at 1:07 PM on April 6, 2010
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posted by bitter-girl.com at 1:56 PM on April 6, 2010
posted by bitter-girl.com at 1:56 PM on April 6, 2010
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posted by supercrayon at 2:58 PM on April 6, 2010
posted by supercrayon at 2:58 PM on April 6, 2010
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posted by GrammarMoses at 3:58 PM on April 6, 2010
posted by GrammarMoses at 3:58 PM on April 6, 2010
My family's architecture firm (my late father's, run by my mother by then) designed the Wilma Mankiller Indian Health Center in Stilwell. My mother was doing the interiors and had to consult with her about the look, working in her family's motifs into the design. She came away with a great deal of respect for Mankiller. My great-grandmother (father's side) was a Cherokee orphan raised in the old orphanage near Tahlequah, so we have some history.
She probably could have run in either party and beaten either sitting Oklahoma senator, but I don't think she would have. The Cherokee were closer to her heart than Washington.
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posted by dw at 4:08 PM on April 6, 2010 [1 favorite]
She probably could have run in either party and beaten either sitting Oklahoma senator, but I don't think she would have. The Cherokee were closer to her heart than Washington.
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posted by dw at 4:08 PM on April 6, 2010 [1 favorite]
I was hoping for a post: her courage, her dignity, her integrity deserve to be recognized. She was one of the shining flames ( and there are not many) in Oklahoma.
posted by francesca too at 4:09 PM on April 6, 2010
posted by francesca too at 4:09 PM on April 6, 2010
This is sad news. She was a big deal to me as a kid. She would've continued to be a big deal to me if I hadn't gotten distracted by stupid stuff as I grew up. (And then there's my obvious narcissism, too...)
posted by Kloryne at 5:37 PM on April 6, 2010
posted by Kloryne at 5:37 PM on April 6, 2010
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[another reminder that not all of us Okies are hyperbolic teabaggers]
posted by HyperBlue at 8:59 PM on April 6, 2010
[another reminder that not all of us Okies are hyperbolic teabaggers]
posted by HyperBlue at 8:59 PM on April 6, 2010
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Before her illness was announced, i always hoped she would run for governor some day.
posted by domino at 10:44 AM on April 6, 2010 [1 favorite]