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

Wilma Mankiller

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Wilma Mankiller
Age: 64 †
Born: 1945
Born: November 18
Died: 2010
Died: April 6
Author
Autobiographer
Tribal Chief
Writer
Сhief Of The Cherokee Nation
Tahlequah
Oklahoma
Chief Wilman Mankiller
A-ji-luhsgi Asgaya-dihi
Wilma Pearl Mankiller
Never
Grow
Would
Grows
Girl
Cherokee
Thought
Prior
Become
Chief
Young
Chiefs
Women
Election
Might
Girls

More quotes by Wilma Mankiller

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Everybody is sitting around saying, 'Well, jeez, we need somebody to solve this problem of bias.' That somebody is us. We all have to try to figure out a better way to get along.
Wilma Mankiller
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We celebrate Thanksgiving along with the rest of America, maybe in different ways and for different reasons. Despite everything that's happened to us since we fed the Pilgrims, we still have our language, our culture, our distinct social system. Even in a nuclear age, we still have a tribal people.
Wilma Mankiller
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I learned a long time ago that I can't control the challenges the creator sends my way, but I can control the way I think about them and deal with them
Wilma Mankiller
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It should be remembered that hundreds of people of African ancestry also walked the Trail of Tears with the Cherokee during the forced removal of 1838-1839. Although we know about the terrible human suffering of our native people and the members of other tribes during the removal, we rarely hear of those black people who also suffered.
Wilma Mankiller
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I don't think anybody anywhere can talk about the future of their people or of an organization without talking about education. Whoever controls the education of our children controls our future.
Wilma Mankiller
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My ability to survive personal crises is really a mark of the character of my people. Individually and collectively, we must react with a tenacity that allows us again and again to bounce back from adversity.
Wilma Mankiller
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Every single person has leadership ability. Some step up and take them. Some don't. My answer was to step up and lead.
Wilma Mankiller
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In Iroquois society, leaders are encouraged to remember seven generations in the past and consider seven generations in the future when making decisions that affect the people.
Wilma Mankiller
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We must trust our own thinking. Trust where we're going. And get the job done.
Wilma Mankiller
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The secret of our success is that we never, never give up.
Wilma Mankiller
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Individually and collectively, Cherokee people possess an extraordinary ability to face down adversity and continue moving forward.
Wilma Mankiller
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Look forward. Turn what has been done into a better path.
Wilma Mankiller
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Whoever controls the education of our children controls the future.
Wilma Mankiller
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America would be a better place if leaders would do more long-term thinking.
Wilma Mankiller
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Women in leadership roles can help restore balance and wholeness to our communities.
Wilma Mankiller
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Take care how you place your moccasins upon the Earth, step with care, for the faces of the future generations are looking up from the Earth waiting their turn for life.
Wilma Mankiller
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I hope many of you will be people that question why things are and why we have to do them the way we have always done them. I hope you will take some risks, exert some real leadership on issues, and if you will, dance along the edge of the roof as you continue for life.
Wilma Mankiller
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If you argue with a fool, someone passing by will not be able to tell who is the fool and who is not.
Wilma Mankiller
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I've run into more discrimination as a woman than as an Indian.
Wilma Mankiller
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Growth is a painful process. If we’re ever going to collectively begin to grapple with the problems that we have collectively, we’re going to have to move back the veil and deal with each other on a more human level.
Wilma Mankiller