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Elizabeth Peratrovich – Leadership Qualities

Biographical Timeline | Leadership Qualities |ND Voting Rights|References

Courageous- Elizabeth Peratrovich is one of the most influential Alaskan Native people to fight against Jim Crow Laws in Alaska. This Tlingit woman recognized her ability to fight the segregation occurring across her state when she became the leader of the Alaskan Native Sisterhood. She moved away from her village in Klawock to Juneau, where she believed that her and her husband could face the racial discrimination head on. When the legislature was out on an anti-discrimination bill, she organized lobbying forays to the capitol with members of the Alaskan Native Sisterhood and Alaskan Native Brotherhood. It was there that she addressed the Senate with her famous opening line, “I would not have expected that I, who am barely out of savagery, would have to remind the gentlemen with 5,000 years of recorded civilization behind them of our Bill of Rights.” She is a courageous leader because she took it upon herself to speak for her people against the outright racism that Indigenous peoples of Alaska were facing. In spite of open discrimination like signs that read, “No Natives Allowed, No Dogs Allowed,” she showed courage by standing her ground before a senate of white men who held the fate of her people in their hands. She stood tall and proud, and eloquently fought for and helped achieve the first civil rights bill to be passed in the United States.

Resilient- Elizabeth Peratrovich stood up against the oppressive treatment of Alaskan Native peoples during the Jim Crow laws of the mid-1900s. The outward racism that was experienced by all Alaskan Natives through laws and social injustices inspired Peratrovich to stand up for her people.  Despite the many hurdles she faced as an Indigenous woman she rose up and spoke out to ensure the equal treatment of Alaskan Natives. On February 16th, 2020 Alaska celebrated the 75th anniversary of Elizabeth Peratrovich’s famous speech to the territorial legislature of Alaska which was sponsored by the Alaska Native Brotherhood and Alaska Native Sisterhood. In a speech honoring her legacy, Alicia Maryott from the Alaskan Native Sisterhood stated  “Ms. Peratrovich made it clear that asking for equal rights implies that they’re someone else’s to give…As we honor her today, let’s remember her resilience.”  Peratrovich not only navigated the Alaskan legal system in her compelling speech but she utilized the public speaking skills of her ancestors. In a time where Alaskan natives were highly discriminated against she had the clarity to look beyond the current state and push for equality for all native peoples in Alaska. This is how Elizabeth Peratrovich embodied what it means to be a resilient leader as she faced oppression head-on and continued to fight for what she knew to be right.

Inspirational- Elizabeth Peratrovich is one of Alaska’s most  inspirational Indigenous leaders. She faced many forms of discrimination during her lifetime but continued to uplift others. The Jim Crow laws of the 1900s encapsulated most aspects of daily life for Alaskan Natives, but Elizabeth inspired others to take a stand against these human rights violations. She is influential to many because of how difficult it was to create the change she did, and yet she was determined to keep fighting. This Tlingit woman inspired many around her while fighting against the oppression of the Native peoples of Alaska. As the grand president of the Alaskan Native Sisterhood in 1945, she addressed the territorial senate regarding the anti-discrimination bill. Her response to the call for action against the mistreatment of her people in the hands of the United States government is an admirable legacy she carries to today. On the day that the Anti-Discrimination Bill was signed, years after her death, the state of Alaska dedicated February 16th to be officially known as Elizabeth Peratrovich Day. Similar to other leaders, like Martin Luther King Jr., she never gave up on her fight for her people. She knew that the discrimination against Alaskan Natives needed to be put to an end. She gave it her all to accomplish her goal; to set into law the equal right for all Indigenous peoples of Alaska, and to make it illegal to discriminate against Native peoples. She inspired many people during her lifetime, and to this day continues to inspire the new generation of American Indians to have the courage to fight for their rights. 

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Wilma Mankiller – Leadership Qualities

Biographical Timeline | Leadership Qualities | Healthcare for Indigenous Veterans | References

Compassionate 

Wilma Mankiller can be most defined as being compassionate, towards her people and towards herself. She easily could have been another community member but she preferred to handle the issues her tribe was facing. Being the selfless individual she was, Mankiller’s activism involved leading some campaigns for Head Start that is a program for low-income preschool children whose goal is to provide educational, social and health needs where these families lack access. Mankiller’s concern for the next generation shows her care to ensure others are being given the same education regardless of their background. Her compassion lived through her vision most of all. She founded the community development department for the Cherokee nation and became the director. Mankiller helped establish rural water systems and rehabilitate housing for her tribe. This success of putting forth all her effort for her people was seen by the Cherokee people’s principal chief where he chose her as a running mate in the next election. Soon after she became the principal chief and created revenue for her tribe that was used for health care and job training, as well as Head Start programs. All of her energy was used to aid her people young and old. In essence, if it was not for her compassionate spirit Mankiller embodied, the platform she created would not have prospered and many of the events she evolved would not have flourished the way they did.

Photo of Mankiller educating the youth from KQED

Resilient

Throughout her life, Wilma Mankiller has had to face a number of challenges that has prompted her to become the resilient leader she is known to be. From an early age, her family had to relocate to San Francisco where they struggled financially. As she attended college, she became pregnant and had to resume her studies years after. These unexpected difficulties of juggling between her family and school work revealed early on the strength Mankiller carried as she navigated her path as a young adult. Her resilient energy carried as she settled through her divorce and moved alongside her children back to her tribal land in Oklahoma. It was these life turning points Mankiller heavily learned how to overcome any obstacle. As a single mother, she took on being the tribal planner until she faced another scarring challenge when she was involved in a tragic car accident where she lost her best friend. Mankiller’s spirit continued to fight through surgeries eventually leading to better health. Adapting to sudden life events, Mankiller remained persistent to keep going, she became deputy chief then tribal principal chief after winning two elections. As a leader, Mankiller gained her resilience as she never quit despite all the hardships that attempted to push her back down along the way. 

Photo of a young Mankiller from Dignity Memorial Obituary

”Keeper of the Village”

Wilma Mankiller’s last name from Cherokee history means “keeper of the village”. Essentially meaning a person who watches over the people. Mankiller’s leadership has earned her the qualifications under this name as she noted during her commencement speech at Northern Arizona University. Although the “keeper of the village” is honored as being the one to overlook the community, Mankiller directed her hopes towards the individuals within the community to take a stance together to make change. Her leadership style was not about one person leading the group but for everyone to be involved in public service if reshaping society was desired. Instead of waiting around, she emphasized the importance that making waves was about going forth and doing it yourself. In order to implement these ideas of going after what you wish to see onto her people, Mankiller became the first female executive on the Cherokee board. During times where females lacked representation anywhere. Her goal as she first accepted a job in tribal government was to reassure herself and others that her own community had the ability to defeat their own problems tackling issues head on such as creating programs to increase revenue for her tribe. This was all while she was still in the community developer position prior to her time as deputy and tribal principal chief. Mankiller established the meaning behind her name early on in her career as she made the moves to take initiative directly.

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Tame Wairere Iti – Leadership Qualities

Biographical Timeline | Leadership Qualities | Tibetan Language Erasure | References

Responsive

Tame Wairere Iti strongly displays the leadership quality of being responsive to his surroundings. This distinguishes Tame Iti’s leadership style from other activists because he has consistently demonstrated that he not only is well aware of all factors that affect his actions, but also of how his actions come across to others. By being responsive to change, Tame Iti has been able to easily adapt the movement he has created to be more readily inclusive and accessible to everyone. Tame Iti was one of the first Maori activists to begin using the internet and social media platforms in the early 2000s as he recognized the potential to mobilize interest in younger and more globally diverse audiences.  Furthermore, this has always benefited Tame Iti when organizing and leading events as he often changes the avenue in which his activism is delivered to best match the receiving audience and thereby have the most impact. For instance, after his 2005 arrest, Tame Iti began to create artistic expressions of Maori activism because “art is a form accessible to all”. His pieces still consistently reflect the theme of Indigenous rights, such as one of his most famous pieces of modern art in which “I will not speak Maori” is copied over and over again against a red background, yet these works are still a departure from his earlier and more violent activist strategy. Tame Iti recognized that after his imprisonment, in which he was granted a lighter sentence, subsequent actions of the same manner would result in both the end of his career and a diminished reputation. Although this is just one specific example, it is illustrative of a key quality of Tame Iti’s leadership style.

Tame Iti Art
Tame Iti presenting one of his pieces at an exhibition in London

Resilient

Tame Wairere Iti has always displayed resilience. From the time he was a young kid in primary school, and stood up to his principal by continuing to speak his native language, to when he continued to appeal his sentence in 2012, Tame has been resilient. Iti was arrested and convicted in 2012 for various firearm charges as well as one charge for unlawful possession of Molotov cocktails. He and his partner were sentenced to two and a half years in prison even though some of the surveillance footage was illegally acquired by the police. The legality of the evidence was not taken into account by the judge during the sentencing or trial, but Iti made sure to get justice by using this while appealing the case and his sentencing. His resilience proved effective, and he was released on parole a year early. This is only one example of Tame’s resilience, but he continuously shows it as he fights for the rights of his people. There are constant barriers and people who try to stop him, but nevertheless he continues on with his fight. His resilience also makes it easy for his followers to look up to him, and try to follow in his footsteps.

Courageous

Tame Wairere Iti has always shown great courage. Whether as a child, refusing to give up speaking Maori, or working as an activist as an adult, Tame Iti has always had a powerful ability to not show fear. At age 15, Tame Iti began a life of anti-authority protest, and his courage would serve him well. Beginning with his establishment of a Tuhoe “Embassy” in Wellington in the 1970s, Iti began a career of challenging authority to pursue indigenous sovereignty in ways most people would balk at. Perhaps the most notable example of this was in 2005, when, at a ceremony with many judges and officials in attendance, Iti fired a shotgun into a New Zealand flag, in an attempt to convey what it felt like to be Maori under the New Zealand government. Defacing the flag while government officials look on is not an act the average individual would be capable of doing, nor facing down police, or many of the other things Tame Iti has done on a regular basis in the past 50 plus years. His bravery in the face of those who oppress him and his people make him a great leader and activist, and it has helped him in the fight to get New Zealand to respect Maori sovereignty.

Tame Iti shooting a New Zealand flag
Tame Iti in protest of treaty violation shooting a New Zealand flag

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Matika Wilbur – Leadership Qualities

Biographical Timeline | Leadership Qualities | Ainu Sovereignty | References

Unwavering on her values– Matika continuously stays grounded in her values. One of her strongest held values is that of tradition. She values the traditions of her people and carries them with herself everywhere she goes. Whenever Matika does any public speaking she will end with a prayer to the creator. She never lets go of her traditional ways. Another one of her values is family. Despite Matika having a crazy schedule she always makes time for her family. Especially now that she has a child, family has become even more a core value for her. Her commitment to honoring the youth is another value that is tightly held by Matika. She loves to speak at tribal youth conferences because she sees them as an opportunity to remind the youth of how great it is to be indigenous which in turn boosts Native youth’s self esteem. That is one of the best ways to honor your youth by making them feel better about themselves and their culture. Matika’s values are what make her a great human being and the fact that she does not waiver from these values proves that she is a phenomenal Indigenous leader.

Project 562-- Juanita Toledo
Photo of Juanita Toledo from Project 562 by Matika Wilbur.

Connecting Generations– In her work Matika displays the wonderful qualities of connecting generations. As a K-12 teacher she offered native youth an opportunity to learn and create their own art but she realized that Native kids struggled to believe they could do anything creative because of the image of Native Americans portrayed in the media. Matika then decided that something needed to be done and by using her photography skills she created Project 562. When she created Project 562, her goal was to change the way Indian Country/ Native America was being portrayed. By traveling all over native country and talking to the people she photographs, she learns more and more about the beauty of being Indigeous. She takes stories from each person she photographs and takes their histories. When she sits down with some of the elders of different tribes Matika encourages not only the youth but teens and adults of that tribe to sit and listen a s well. By having the youth, teens, and adults hear these oral histories and lessons from their elders, Matika is bringing the generations together and breaking down the social barriers between them.

Project 562-- Sharlyce and Jennie Parker
Photo of Sharlyce and Jennie Parker, from Project 562 by Matika Wilbur.


Fights against erasure– Matika’s devotion to both her Native heritage and cultural preservation are demonstrated through her efforts of photography activism. Her projects are based on transcribing the traditional knowledge of tribal members and descendants. Storytelling is the core element of American Indian culture, and by recording the stories of tribal members, she protects the life of the histories of the Native Peoples.  She preserves indigeneous languages and historical moments through her efforts of hearing organic dialogue from tribes and photographing places that have significance. Matika illustrated the Wounded-Knee massacre, which took hundreds of innocent Lakota lives, and forever remains a traumatic and horrifying moment in Native history. She represented the impact and resilience of these Indigenous Peoples by photographing a Lakota member now at the site of this atrocity that affected their ancestors. These photos along with all of her other photos that are part of her project testify to the strength of Native Peoples both past and present. The photos also combat the “Vanishing Indian” stereotype because the photos are of modern day American Indians. The “Vanishing Indian” stereotype is based on the idea that Native Peoples only existed in the past and Matika’s photos from Project 562 demonstrate the exact opposite. Matika Wilbur’s work allows American Indians and their culture to never disappear.

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Hilaria Supa Huamán – Leadership Qualities

Biographical Timeline | Leadership Qualities | Lakota Education | References

Brave

Correo Tabloid
Tabloid attack on Hilaria Supa’s literacy (Correo)

Hilaria Supa boldly perseveres in her activism despite the constant criticism and barriers she has faced, truly embodying bravery. While she experienced violence, racism, and sexism, she confronted these and rose above the challenges to international prominence. In the late 1990s she protested the forced sterilization of Indigenous women. Government officials, including President Alberto Fujimori and local Health Ministry doctors either denied that it occurred or argued it was beneficial for the “family planning” of Indigenous families. Even other Indigenous leaders criticized Supa’s role in opposing this crime. Hilaria Supa showed resilience in the face of these protests, struggling for months so those affected could get the compensation they deserved. In 2006 she was elected to the Peruvian Congress. As a result, she received many negative comments, specifically ones directed towards her lack of formal education and her L2 Spanish abilities. However, she responded diligently, describing the experience of her youth and early adulthood and its impact on her education and opposing the racist tone in these criticisms. Additionally, she took her oath in Quechua, which grew the anti-Indigenous sentiments that came with her election. Congresswoman Martha Hildebrandt criticized Supa saying that Spanish should be the only language used in Congress. Further verbal and visual harassment, such as racist depictions of Indigenous peoples, reached a national audience on television. We choose this quality because Hilaria Supa bravely faced a racist and sexist society, surmounting every challenge to articulate the rights and desires of the Indigenous peoples of Peru. 

Strong-willed

Andean Ceremony at a Lima zoo (Flickr/winder west)

Hilaria Supa exemplifies a strong-willed leader. From her earliest activism, she never took no for an answer. Despite living in a patriarchal and racist society, she fought to give the peasant and Indigenous women of Anta province a voice, creating and leading movements and organizations such as the Federation of Peasant Women of Anta (FEMCA) to defend their common interests. She understood where colonial modes of relations were harmful and criticized the prevailing culture that contributed to alcoholism, malnutrition, domestic abuse, and financial instability. She also pushed for a return to traditional knowledge in a society that outright rejected Indigenous foods, medicines, and farming techniques. Furthermore, Hilaria Supa’s strong will enabled her to push through her disabilities to benefit the society that surrounded her. She has suffered from arthritis since her early life but that didn’t stop her activism. In her memoir, Supa recalled travelling on horseback to remote villages, sleeping in the cold, and relying on local charity in order to spread her messages of women’s rights, peasant’s rights, and Indigenous rights. Hilaria Supa’s strong-willed nature ties in directly with her bravery, as both enabled her to face the challenges of an oppressive system and work for a more free and equal society. 

Empathetic

Hilaria Supa has taken on an active role in an attempt to restore justice to the indigenous peoples of Peru. Hilaria’s mission is based on empathy and her fight for the indigenous people was fueled by personal experience. With her political platform she continues to shine the spotlight on the neglected and marginalized Native communities. Hilaria empathizes with the people she fights for because she, too, had grown up with a background of poverty, Spanish as a second language, and no formal education. Also having experienced sexual assault from her husband, Hilaria felt compelled to take on more roles for Indigenous women’s organizations and to educate Peruvian women, Quechua or not, on abuse and domestic violence. When Hilaria urged the Peruvian government and the UN to stop the encroachment of Indigenous lands, promoted education for indigenous people, and exposed the illegal sterilization of Indigenous men and women, it showed her desire for equality for the peasants and Indigenous peoples. When Hilaria learned of the racist sterilization practices, she lobbied for women to be compensated. She assisted these women in their battle against the corrupt dictatorship of Alberto Fujimori because she knew what it was like to be seen as a second-class citizen. We know that empathy fuels connection, it allows us to experience the emotions of others on their level and to be able to feel their feelings with them, and that is exactly what Hilaria did when she met with the peoples she fought for and listened to their concerns.


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John Trudell – Leadership Qualities

Biographical Timeline | Leadership Qualities | OK Tribal Gaming Dispute | References

Inspiring

John Trudell was and continues to be an inspiration to Native American activists across the globe. He created an image and a brand that “made the spirit of the people stronger.” He was able to unite generations of Native Americans because his music and poetry drew on traditional Native American styles and themes that older generations could connect with, while incorporating modern characteristics that younger people could relate to as well. His music worked to preserve part of his cultural heritage and inspired people to connect deeper with their roots. Not only did he reach across the age gap, but across the gender gap as well. In his time with AIM John was constantly advocating for the voices of women to be heard, because he felt that they were so often lost in the crowd. He was a particularly strong advocate for the agency of his wife. After her death he made sure that people knew the amazing work that she had done, that her death was not simply defined by his work, but by her own advocacy for Native American rights and sovereignty as well.

Charismatic

People were inspired by John because they were drawn to him, he was powerful in the way that he could draw crowds when speaking at events. His charisma is what gathered the attention of federal agencies, and even frightened them and caused them to label him as dangerous. John did not back down from his beliefs or ideals and he challenged and criticized those who were lacking in upholding their own morals and beliefs. The US government was a main recipient of his criticism because he argued that they not only lacked care for their own people, but for the planet they lived on as well. During the Alcatraz occupation John fought to protect the rights of ALL Native Americans, and would not be paid off in order to back down from his beliefs. He burned an American flag on the steps of the FBI building because he said it was desecrated by the racism, classism and sexism that it represented. The American flag did not represent freedom in John’s eyes because not all were free.

Courageous

There were many instances in which John Trudell should have been afraid for his life, but nevertheless he upheld his values and kept fighting for what he knew was right. During the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s the FBI began a program called COINTEL, which aimed to shut down the movement, but when AIM began vamping up as a political player they shifted their focus to John Trudell himself. His active involvement in the Alcatraz occupation and other sit ins at Wounded Knee and the BIA placed a target on his back. The FBI feared John because of his ability to motivate and mobilize not only Native Americans, but non-natives as well, as seen at Wounded Knee. AIM was eventually labeled as a militant terrorist group at the Wounded Knee protests, which was a way to enable and excuse violence against the activists there. One of the more terrifying moments in his life came with the death of his wife, mother-in-law and three children after burning an American flag atop the FBI steps. Although the fire that killed his family was ruled as an accident, John was certain it was murder. This moment in time was a sure indicator that if someone could kill people as innocent as his family, they could surely kill him.

John Trudell FBI file
A page from John Trudell’s extensive FBI file, which lists the many “militant” activities he participated in while advocating for Native American rights.
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Ramona Bennett – Leadership Qualities

Biographical Timeline | Leadership Qualities | Little Shell Chippewa Recognition | References

Compassionate

Throughout all of her as a hardworking activist, Ramona never lost sight of what it means to be a leader to her people. A big component of her leadership qualities is compassion; Ramona has always had the well-being of everyone in mind as she fought for more Tribal rights. In 1978, Ramona was able to secure the National Indian Child Welfare Act. This act was solely intended for assisting Native children who would be possibly mistreated by the WA child service laws, which might separate the child from their family. Adding to her generosity and selflessness toward children, she founded the Rainbow Youth and Family Services in 1989. The goal of this organization was to protect Native children from any hate, abuse, neglect, or anything traumatic. More than that, this organization would connect these children to foster parents or to parents who are learning about the process of adoption and would like to take these traumatized children into their families. Ramona’s compassion is not forgotten by many, even after the many years that may pass after she has performed kind deeds for others. When Claudia Kauffman presented Ramona with the 2018 Bernie Whitebear Award, she recalled how helpful Ramona was toward her family. In order to allow Kauffman’s family to attend yearly powwows, Ramona would pick them all up, feed them sandwiches and snacks, and drive them all to the powwows. The compassion that Ramona Bennett has for her Tribe as well as her friends and supporters is remarkable. To this day, Ramona is active in fighting for Tribal rights while still making sure that everyone around her is well-cared for and protected, making her an amazing example of a compassionate leader.

Inspiring

Almost all of Ramona Bennett’s achievements would have never come to fruition had she not been able to rally supporters into action. She inspires her people, and has been inspiring them since back in the 1960s. Ramona led her people in a misunderstanding between her people and the law enforcement that resulted in what is now known as the BIA Takeover of 1972. There were threats made by the U.S. government to break down the doors and barge into the BIA office to arrest the occupants, but Ramona stood strong against these words and performed in such a way that inspired the people with her to stand strong with her. Later, in 1976, Ramona again led her people to seize the Tacoma Cushman hospital, claiming it as the property of the Puyallup Tribe. Alone, Ramona would have been unable to perform such a feat. But she was not alone; she had accrued a following in her time as the Chairwoman of the Puyallup Tribe, and her followers readily marched with their leader to take back their property. Even in recent times, Ramona has been present in the protests against the Tacoma Natural Gas project that will ruin Puget Sound. There is no doubt that a strong activist like Ramona Bennett bolsters the the protestors and makes them fight harder against the gas project. More than that, she gave a speech back in 2012 demanding clemency for Leonard Peltier, adding more fuel to this fiery battle for Peltier. For her entire career as an activist, Ramona Bennett has managed some incredible feats. However, many of these feats were made possible through her ability to be an inspiring character that her people would readily want to follow through thick and thin.

Ramona Bennett with Native Activists meeting outside the Bureau Of Indian Affairs in Washington DC
Ramona and other native activists outside the Bureau of Indian Affairs building in Washington DC in 1976

Resilient

Despite enduring tumultuous hardships, Ramona has continued to advocate for the human rights of Indigenous peoples across America as well as Natives across the PNW. In the face of discrimination and violence, Ramona has accomplished and paved the way for multiple pieces of legislation to be passed. She has faced police brutality and numerous loses and setbacks but has continued to fight for Native rights for over sixty years. When she started participating in fish-ins she was not discouraged in the face of continuous police harassment and brutality. When police came with clubs and riffles, Ramona was arrested along with numerous other protesters, but she was soon bailed out and despite her fear, went back into the fray. In 2013 at a meeting for solidarity with Chief Theresa Spence, Ramona offered her own words on the perseverance of Indigenous activism: “Keep it up, keep shouting, keep fighting. If all you have is your body put it there. Your ancestors did, they fought for every right you enjoy! Freedom of religion, property, resources, and you know what your great great great grandchildren will do the same thing. That’s the indian, that’s who we are, that’s why we’re here.” At the age of 81, Ramona continues to fight for tribal rights today, as her own Puyallup tribe fights against a fracked gas facility being built on their land, and will most likely never stop. Her enduring spirit and unwavering devotion to her cause has inspired many to take up the fight for Indigenous rights and has allowed the Puyallup tribe to flourish. Her never-ending resilience throughout decades of turmoil has not only inspired others in her community but makes her a fantastic leader and shows what can be accomplished with dedication.

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Jeanette Armstrong – Leadership Qualities

Biographical Timeline| Leadership Qualities | Renaming Mt. Rainier | References

Venerable

One way to determine whether or not someone is a leader is by looking at how their community views them. In Jeannette Armstrong’s case, it is clear to see that her community considers her to be venerable; someone who is greatly respected due to her wisdom and strong character. Over the years, Armstrong has spent her time working with not only in the Okanagan community, but working internationally with other Indigenous peoples to raise them up and find solutions to their problems. This can be seen through a multitude of ways: her first novel, Slash, came about due to a request for curriculum in schools that would educate students on contemporary issues that Indigenous people face. She was appointed as a judge for the First Nations Court of International Justice, in order to give a decision on whether or not the Government of Canada had violated laws against Indigenous peoples. Additionally, while she serves as the Executive Director for the En’owkin Center in Canada, she is also a consultant for the Center of Ecoliteracy in California, where she has shared the Okanagan philosophy of En’owkin. These examples, along with her many awards, recognize Armstrong for being someone that many people turn to when they struggle with questions. Armstrong is recognized not only amongst her community, but across nations and continents for being fair, trustworthy, and wise.

Preserver

Armstrong at a University of British Columbia graduation

The Syilx oral language, known locally as nsyilxcən, is the traditional language of the Indigenous Syilx/Okanagan Peoples. Due to the decades of assimilation practices, Nsyilxcən is considered an endangered language. The En’owkin Centre, a Syilx education institution, is dedicated to implementing Indigenous knowledge and systems, by providing access to Nsyilxcən learners of all ages and skill-levels. Jeanette Armstrong, the Executive Director, is committed to rejuvenating the traditional understandings of the Syilx histories, cultural frameworks and values, and skill-based knowledge stored within the oral traditions of Nsyilxcən. For the youngest students, bilingual children’s books–such as Armstrong’s “How Food Was Given/How Names Were Given”– reintroduces the traditional oral narratives of Indigenous people’s connection to the land and water of their homelands. For older students, they continue to reestablish their ties to the Nsyilxcən language and the Syilx traditional land and waterway ties. For these students, the En’owkin Centre also functions as a hub, where Syilx members can access academic planning for public post-secondary schooling, financial planning, and a cultural awareness program that facilitates connections to larger Indigenous movements. In a 2009 interview between Armstrong and the Center for Ecoliteracy, she underlines the importance of En’owkin, which in Nsyilxcən translates to a foundation for sustainable living. Thus, Armstrong’s core ambition for the En’owkin Centre is to reestablish community and traditional sustainability practices through education. By sharing her insight and knowledge, which have been passed down generationally to her, Armstrong hopes to reject the effects of colonialism in the Okanagan communities and to restore the once perfect unison between the Syilx people, the land, and the water.

Community-based

Armstrong for the Columbia River Treaty

Jeannette Armstong has created community organizations and programs for Okanagan people to improve their traditional language or cultural knowledge. Because of this, Okanagan/Syilx people have a stronger ability to connect to their history and fight for their rights. Born into the Penticton Indian Band of the Syilx Nation, Armstrong has fought for legal justice for her people and the Canadian government. In her novels, such as Slash or Whispering Shadow, Armstrong brings assimilation and Indigenous culture  to the mainstream community. Despite the challenges of the federal court and government, she continued to fight for the preservation of her culture and community. While she taught at the University of British Columbia Okanagan (UBCO), she used her knowledge to teach Sylix reading and writing courses, and the legal framework for Okanagan people to regain their rights. She also established the En’owkin Writing Centre for Okanagan people to refind their traditional language. Armstrong encouraged the combination of Syilx and English teachings to remember their culture. She has been participating in the Okanagan Nation Alliance since its founding as a council member. For example, she worked with Okanagan Nation members to discuss the water and food shortage in 2010. Sustainability continues to be their main issue of discussion. 

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Whina Cooper – Leadership Qualities

Biographical Timeline | Leadership Qualities | N.Z. Foreshore and Seabed | References

Diplomatic 

Whina Cooper exemplifies diplomacy because she was an active leader in Maori politics and also a community leader for established groups in New Zealand. Her work can be seen throughout the timeline of her life. In the 1930’s Cooper was considered a community leader in the Northern Hokianga region because of her involvement in community activities and her community church. From 1946 to 1952, Whina was secretary and trustee of the Panguru Tribal Executive Committee. She defied gender norms by being elected the first woman elected president of the Rugby Union Branch in April 1947. One of the biggest diplomatic positions Whina held in her life was being elected foundation president of the Maori Women’s Welfare League in Wellington. Through that position, Whina’s first initiative involved to survey the living conditions of Maori Housing in Auckland which showed the harsh living conditions of the Maori people. The dwellings appeared to be crowded and unsanitary. The main reason we chose Whina as diplomatic was because she used her title as President of the Maori Women’s Welfare League to help her Native Maori peoples out. She used her power to benefit her people’s well-being.

Educated 

From the age of 7, Cooper received an education that most do not have the opportunity to receive. She attended the Whakarapa Native School and then with the financial help of a Native minster, she went to St Joseph’s Maori Girls’ College for a secondary education. Upon completing her education, her father requested she marry a widowed man but she declined the offer. Instead, she chose to work in a store. Two years later she was appointed a trainee teacher at the Pawarenga Native school. Educated can be seen as a leadership trait because he value Cooper had in education and following her own goals represents the idea that she knew she did not need to get married. We chose this trait because her education also allowed her to be able to create a voice for herself and stay connected to her church. This would later help her become an active community leader in her church and her education allowed her to become an activist with the knowledge she gained and immersed herself in.

Determined

We chose to describe Whina as determined beacuse despite her old age, Whina agreed to lead a coalition of groups formed Te Ropu o te Matakite  in a march to combat further alienation of Maori Land.  More than 5,000 marchers arrived at the New Zealand parliament where Whina presented a petition signed by 60,000 people. Her activism shined through her frail body and her determination for her peoples land rights was witnessed by many that day. And to this day, the one who stood out the most at the 1975 March was the older Whina.