Wilma Mankiller (1945-2010) was the first woman elected to lead the Cherokee Nation.
Wilma Mankiller (1945-2010) was the first woman elected to lead the Cherokee Nation.
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From Wonder Media Network, I’m Jenny Kaplan, and this is Womanica
This month, we’re highlighting Indigenous women from around the world. Today, we’re honoring the remarkable life of the first woman elected to lead the Cherokee Nation.
Let’s talk about Wilma Mankiller.
Wilma Pearl Mankiller was born on Nov 18, 1945 in the Cherokee Nation’s tribal capital of Tahlequah, located in eastern Oklahoma. She was the sixth of 11 children. Wilma’s mother Clara Irene was of Dutch-Irish descent and her father, Charley came from a long line of Cherokee ancestors. The surname “Mankiller” — Asgaya-dihi — refers to the traditional Cherokee military rank of captain or major.
Wilma spent some of her childhood in a 160 acre plot of land known as the Mankiller Flats.
Though Wilma never felt poor growing up, her family’s home didn’t have electricity, indoor plumbing, or telephones.
When she was 11, Wilma’s family moved to San Francisco as part of a relocation policy of the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The goal was to “urbanize” rural Indigenous people by moving them off of federally subsidized reservations to big cities, with the promise that they would have jobs.
In a 1993 New York Times article, Wilma described the move as her “own little Trail of Tears” in reference to federal troops forcibly removing the Cherokee tribe from their ancestral home in the Southeast during the winters of 1838 and 1839.
Just a few days before her 18th birthday, Wima married Hugo Olaya, and they had two daughters together, Gina and Felicia. She quickly fell into doing the cleaning, and the cooking, and the grocery shopping. But she felt uneasy about taking on this traditional role.
For Wilma and many others, the 60s and 70s was a time of political awakening and consciousness. Flanked by the Civil Rights Era and the growing Women's movement, Wilma had an “a-ha” moment in 1969, the day she witnessed the Alcatraz occupation of Indigenous peoples on TV.
As she watched young Indigenous activists claim the island “in the name of Indians of all tribes”, Wilma’s life changed. She recalled: “When Alcatraz occurred, I became aware of what needed to be done to let the rest of the world know that Indians had rights, too.”
Wilma began to frequently visit the activists and raised money for the cause. Forever marked by her experience, Wilma started to empower the surrounding Indigenous communities in California. She also started taking night classes at Skyline College and San Francisco State.
In 1974, Wilma asked her husband for a divorce. They had grown apart, and she didn’t see a future with him. A few years later, in 1977, she moved back to Oklahoma with her two daughters.
Back home, Wilma continued her activism. She began volunteering in tribal affairs and leading campaigns for better health and school programs. She became the economic stimulus coordinator for the Cherokee Nation all the while earning her bachelor degree in social sciences from Flaming Rainbow University in Stilwell, Oklahoma.
In 1981, Wilma became the founding director of the community development department of the Cherokee nation. In that role, she helped develop rural water systems and rehabilitation housing. Her community impact led her to become the first Deputy Chief of the Cherokee Nation, as the running mate of the tribe’s then Principal Chief, Ross Swimmer.
Two years later, in 1985, Swimmer joined the Department of Interior and she succeeded him as Cherokee Nation’s Principal Chief. During that time, her daughter Gina recalled: “People thought that we would be the laughing stock of all the tribes if we had a female leader.”
Wilma quite literally had to fight to get a seat at the table. At one of the bigger intertribal council meetings, Wilma was “intentionally left out.” She had to go find a chair, drag it in and push her way up to the tables. And right before they adjourned the meeting, Wilma stood up and said: “No, I have something to say.”
But she was elected to a full four-year term in 1987, and then re-elected in 1991. During her tenure as Principal Chief, Wilma’s priorities were to protect tradition and bring as much income in her community as possible. By the end of her tenure, her tribe’s budget reached $150 million a year. She served as chief for ten years, and her leadership was awarded with honorary degrees, and in 1998, the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Wilma married Charlie Soap, who was also Cherokee in 1986. She described their marriage as one of equals, and mutual respect. She was with him until her death.
Wilma lived with a number of health issues over the years: Lymphoma, kidney disease, and a neuromuscular disorder.
In 2010, at the age of 64 Wilma died of pancreatic cancer.
At Wilma’s funeral, her longtime friend Gloria Steinem said:
“Ancient traditions call for setting signal fires to light the way home for a great one; fires were lit in 23 countries after Wilma's death. / The millions she touched will continue her work, but I will miss her every day of my life.”
All month, we’re honoring the legacy of Indigenous women. For more updates on Wommanica, follow me directly on twitter @jennykaplan
Special thanks to Liz Kaplan, my favorite sister and co-creator.
Talk to you tomorrow!