According to Wilma Mankiller, the first female chief of the Cherokee Nation, there is a profound difference between the mindsets of Native Americans and of those in the American mainstream.
“We’re born into a set of reciprocal relationships, and we have respect for one another,” she said. “(In the United States), individual achievement means more than common good, and kindness is perceived as weakness.”
Mankiller addressed a crowd of about 650 Wednesday night in the EMU Ballroom as part of the Morse Public Lecture series. Her talk, entitled “Context is Everything: History and Culture in Contemporary Tribal Life” discussed the history of native peoples, current challenges and future hopes.
The 2005-06 chairwoman of the Wayne Morse Center for Law and Politics, an independent center at the law school, Mankiller is also serving as a visiting professor in the Ethnic Studies department through the end of this month.
The speech opened with a ceremonial welcome by the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Honor Guard and a traditional song performed by the Eagle Beak Singers.
Mankiller was introduced by University President Dave Frohnmayer, who said it was an “honor to welcome a woman, a leader, a person who understands the relationship between knowledge and morality.”
Mankiller began by mentioning the difficulties of having an informed dialogue on Native American issues.
“It’s impossible to understand challenges facing Native Americans without a context,” she said.
She gave an overview of the hardships Native Americans suffered at the hands of European invaders, including the Trail of Tears, when thousands of her people were forced to migrate from the Southeastern United States to what is now Oklahoma.
Mankiller deconstructed many stereotypes about Native Americans and reiterated the necessity of doing so.
“If we don’t frame our own issues, our opponents will,” she said.
She ended her speech on a note of optimism for the future of the Native Americans by invoking her favorite proverb.
“It’s hard to see the future with tears in your eyes.”
Audience response was overwhelmingly positive, with applause and several standing ovations punctuating her speech.
Shalan Ryan, an undeclared sophomore who is in Mankiller’s class, said she found the speech, as well as Mankiller herself, amazing.
“She’s a phenomenal person. … Tonight’s speech was a summary of a lot of stuff we learned in class, and it really cemented the ideas,” she said.
Wesley Weathers, an honor guard of the Grand Ronde who presented the flag, said that the speech echoed much of what he already felt.
Master of Ceremonies Rennard Strickland, a professor of law, said Mankiller is an inspiration.
“I thought it was a marvelous analysis of the misconceptions that people have about American Indians,” he said.
“I hope people get a sense … that any individual who devotes themselves to something that is important can make a real difference,” he said.
Contact the higher education reporter at [email protected]
