Tim Giago: Paying tribute to the warrior women of Indian Country

Wednesday, April 24, 2019  

A recent movie chose “Warrior Women” as its title. In order to fill in the blanks I would like to add a few “Warrior Women” to that list.

They were women who worked within the system, did not advocate for violence, and yet brought about many, many positive changes in Indian Country. Let me start with LaDonna Harris, an old friend.

LaDonna Vita Tabbytite Harris (born February 26, 1931) is a Comanche Native American social activist and politician from Oklahoma. She is the founder and president of Americans for Indian Opportunity. Harris was a vice presidential candidate for the Citizens Party in the United States presidential election, 1980 alongside Barry Commoner. In 2018, she became one of the inductees in the first induction ceremony held by the National Native American Hall of Fame.

Her office in Washington D. C. in the 1970s served as meeting place for Native Americans from across America. And every Indian visiting Washington turned to LaDonna for advice and help. Her office became a meeting place where visitors to DC would do their work. She always provided a desk, phones and typewriters (before computers) to her visiting guests.

Butch LeBeau and I took full advantage of her generosity when we went to Washington on business in the 1970s.

Ms. Kingman has served her nation for well over 54 years as an advocate for the sovereignty of Tribal Nations, nationwide. She has focused her skills on human rights and assisted in the development of public policies related to economic development on tribal lands, proper utilization of natural resources, environment preservation, and health issues related to Native American Veterans, and the well-being and continuing improvements for health programs serving her Native American constituency. A highlight of her achievements on the international scene was her guest lecture at the Discrimination and Human Rights Symposium, chaired by Bishop Desmond Tutu (Union of South Africa) at the University of Madrid, Spain. Ms. Kingman has received 18 state, regional, and national awards as recognition for her service to Native American tribes in North America.

Between 1890 and the 1950s, there was very little unity between and among the Native American tribal leaders on the upper Great Plains. Ms. Kingman served as Executive Director to the Great Plains Tribal Chairman’s Association. The GPTCA is made up of 16 Sovereign Nations who have signed Treaties with the United States. Ms. Kingman insisted that the Tribal Leaders from the 16 Tribes (from the States of ND, SD, and Nebraska) operate in unity to strengthen and promote the common interests of the 16 Tribal Nations.

Ms. Kingman is one of the very few Native American Women to serve as a strong symbol of local, regional, and national leadership for Native American institutions.

Before he was President, Donald J. Trump owned casinos in Atlantic City, New Jersey and used his power, money, and influence in a most dastardly effort to prevent Native American tribes from entering the gaming business. Mr. Trump did everything within his power to influence congress and the entire nation and suggested the tribes would soon be under the influence of the American Mafia and other racketeers and provide unfair competition to the Casino industry.

Ms. Kingman led the National Association of Tribal and Sovereign Nations into a unified effort to prove that the Trump suggestions were absolutely wrong. Her passion, intellect and leadership skills prevailed in this struggle as Congress moved forward to enable Tribal Governments to invest, manage, and own casinos and resorts in many states. This has led to wealth, employment and related economic benefits for Native American citizens of the US. She received the Lifetime Achievement award in 2016 from the National Indian Gaming Association.

Wilma Pearl Mankiller (Cherokee name: A-ji-luhsgi Asgaya-dihi, November 18, 1945 – April 6, 2010) was an activist, social worker, community developer and the first woman elected to serve as Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation. Born in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, she lived on her family’s allotment in Adair County, Oklahoma, until the age of 11, when her family relocated to San Francisco as part of a federal government program to urbanize Native Americans.

After high school, she married a well-to-do Ecuadorian and raised two daughters. Inspired by the social and political movements of the 1960s, Mankiller became involved in the Occupation of Alcatraz and later participated in the land and compensation struggles with the Pit River Tribe. For five years in the early 1970s, she was employed as a social worker, focusing mainly on children’s issues.

Returning to Oklahoma in the fall of 1976, Mankiller was hired by the Cherokee Nation as an economic stimulus coordinator. She progressed into grant writing and by the early 1980s, was directing the newly-created Community Development Department of the Cherokee Nation.

Topping off her amazing career, Wilma went on to become the first woman ever to serve as the Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation.

These women did not rise in the wake of violent confrontations. Instead they professionally and intellectually brought progress, corrected injustices, and advanced the cause of all Native Americans in a timely and peaceful movement that transcended violence.

They were truly warriors in the old traditional way.

Contact Tim Giago at najournalist1@gmail.com