Book Review

Celebrating Women's History Month: Wilma Mankiller among Native Women Role Models

Native Women of Courage
By Kelly Fournel
7th Generation Publishing | 86 pp | $9.95
ISBN: 978-0-97791832-4

Levi Rickert, editor-in-chief in Entertainment.Join the Discussion of this Book »

Young people need strong and positive role models. There's is no better time than National Women's History month to check in with the young people we know. Young American Indian females have a book, "Native Women of Courage" to reference when looking for role models among Native women.

Resiliency & Strength

Author Kelly Fournel, Mètis, writes about ten Native women from American Indian tribes and First Nations. Fournel was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, raised in Calgary, Alberta, and now lives in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan.

"Native Women of Courage" is broken into ten chapters for each of the ten featured Native women in the book. The book is part of the Native Trailblazers Series. Written primarily for girls from 9 to 13 years old, the book will be appreciated by adults as well.

Among the most famous of the ten selected women is the late Wilma Mankiller.

Mankiller was born in Tahlequah, Oklahoma into a poor family, which lived in a home that lacked modern day conveniences, such as indoor plumbing, electricity or central heating.

Her family was among American Indian families to be relocated to cities during the 1950s. They were moved to San Francisco, where she had to walk past a sign that read, "No dogs, No Indians." In San Francisco, she became part of the Indian organization that took over Alcatraz Island in 1969.

She moved back to Oklahoma and became involved with tribal politics.

Mankiller became the principal chief of the Cherokee Nation, the second largest tribe in America, after overcoming a series of difficulties in life. Mankiller was the first female principal chief of the Tribe. Her passion for improving the lives of her fellow Cherokees was evident throughout her political career. She died of cancer April 6, 2010.

“Prior to my election young Cherokee girls would never have thought they might grow up and become chief,”

Mankiller is quoted as saying.

Other rolemodels featured in "Native Women of Courage" include:

Winona LaDuke, Anishinaabeg - Author, environmentalist, vice presidential candidate

Sarah Winnemucca, Paiute - First Native American woman to write and publish a book

Maria Tallchief, Osage - Prima ballerina with the New York City Ballet

Mary Kim Titla, Apache - First Native American television news reporter in Arizona

Sandra Lovelace Nicholas, Maliseet - Petitioned the United Nations on behalf of First Nations women's rights, and won

Susan Aglukark, Inuit - Singer/Songwriter and winner of 3 Juno music awards

Susan Rochon-Burnett, Metis - First women to be granted a Canadian FM broadcasting license

Lorna B. Williams, Lif'wat First Nation - Educator who developed native curriculum for First Nations schools in Canada

Pauline Johnson-Tekahionwake, Mohawk - Author and early advocate for Native women's rights.

Though most of the women, save Winona LaDuke, are lesser known than Mankiller, their stories are not diminished by the lack of notoriety. Each featured Native woman has overcome obstacles Native individuals and females face. The resiliency and strength of Native women is demonstrated chapter after chapter in the book.

The Native Trailblazers Series is refreshing because of its accent on the positive contributions of Native people. It is refreshing because in the past so many other books have not been so kind to Native people. Whether the young readers are Native or non-Native, it matters little, Native Trailblazers provides the impetus for young readers to make positive contributions to society themselves.

updated March 23, 2013 6:00 am edt; posted March 3, 2012 6:57 am edt