Mika Benally

Mika Benally Bringing forward Native perspectives, traditions, and truths often left unheard 🪶

When Marie Wilcox realized she was the last fluent speaker of the Wukchumni language, she refused to let centuries of Na...
05/23/2026

When Marie Wilcox realized she was the last fluent speaker of the Wukchumni language, she refused to let centuries of Native history disappear in silence. At 82 years old, she taught herself how to use a computer and spent years creating the first written dictionary of her people’s language—preserving thousands of words for future generations.

Her dedication became more than a personal mission. It became an act of cultural survival, protecting the stories, traditions, and identity of an entire community from being lost forever. Marie Wilcox showed the world that even one determined person can keep a culture alive for generations to come.

What other endangered Native languages do you think deserve more attention and preservation today?

In 1912, a young man from the Sac and Fox Nation stood before the world and changed the meaning of greatness forever. At...
05/21/2026

In 1912, a young man from the Sac and Fox Nation stood before the world and changed the meaning of greatness forever. At the Olympic Games in Stockholm, Jim Thorpe dominated the pentathlon and decathlon, winning two gold medals with a level of skill that stunned spectators and competitors alike. He didn’t stop there — he also placed fourth in the high jump, seventh in the long jump, and even played exhibition baseball during the same Olympics. Few athletes in history have ever matched such extraordinary versatility.

When King Gustav V of Sweden presented him with his medals, he famously said, “Sir, you are the greatest athlete in the world.” Jim Thorpe answered with quiet humility: “Thanks, King.”

Thorpe’s greatness went far beyond medals. Born Wa-Tho-Huk, meaning “Bright Path,” he became a symbol of Native strength, resilience, and excellence during a time when Indigenous people faced discrimination and erasure across America. Decades later, in 1950, the Associated Press voted him the greatest athlete of the first half of the 20th century — ahead of legends like Babe Ruth and Jack Dempsey.

Jim Thorpe was not only one of the greatest Native American athletes ever. He was one of the greatest athletes the world has ever seen. His story continues to inspire generations to walk their own bright path with courage and pride.

Do you think Jim Thorpe still deserves to be called the greatest all-around athlete in history?

Lori Piestewa was just 23 years old when she lost her life during the Iraq War in 2003 — but her legacy continues to liv...
05/14/2026

Lori Piestewa was just 23 years old when she lost her life during the Iraq War in 2003 — but her legacy continues to live far beyond the battlefield. ❤️🦉

A proud member of the Hopi Tribe from Arizona, Lori served in the U.S. Army as a maintenance specialist while also raising two young children as a devoted mother. She joined the military hoping to create a better future and more stability for her family.

On March 23, 2003, Lori’s convoy accidentally entered a dangerous area near Nasiriyah, Iraq, where it came under heavy enemy attack. The ambush became one of the most talked-about battles during the opening days of the war. Lori suffered severe injuries and later passed away from those wounds.

With her death, Lori Piestewa became the first Native American woman killed in combat while serving in the United States military.

Her story carried deep meaning for Indigenous communities across the country. Native Americans have served in the military at some of the highest rates in U.S. history, yet their sacrifices are often overlooked or forgotten in mainstream conversations about war and service.

Those who knew Lori remembered her as kind-hearted, strong, determined, and deeply dedicated to her children and community. Today, her memory is honored through schools, scholarships, memorials, and the renaming of Piestewa Peak in Arizona — ensuring that her name and sacrifice will never fade away.

Lori Piestewa’s life was not only a story of war.
It was a story of courage, motherhood, sacrifice, resilience, and love for family.

She deserves to be remembered not simply as a soldier lost in combat, but as a Hopi woman whose legacy still inspires people today.

Do you believe Indigenous heroes like Lori Piestewa deserve far greater recognition in history and media? ❤️

In Yahi tradition, a person did not speak their own name unless it was formally introduced by another member of the trib...
05/13/2026

In Yahi tradition, a person did not speak their own name unless it was formally introduced by another member of the tribe. For the man later known to the world as Ishi, this custom carried a heartbreaking truth. When people asked him his name, he answered, “I have none, because there were no people to name me.” In those few words lived the grief of an entire nation lost.

Ishi is remembered as the last known survivor of the Yahi people, an Indigenous community of Northern California devastated during the violence and displacement of the Gold Rush era. After years of living alone in hiding, he emerged near Oroville, California, in 1911. Though surrounded by strangers, he continued to honor the traditions of his people with quiet dignity and strength.

The name “Ishi” was given to him by anthropologist Alfred L. Kroeber because, in the Yana language, it simply means “man.” It was never meant to replace his true identity, but rather to respect the cultural rule that prevented him from speaking his own name. Even after enduring unimaginable loss, he held tightly to the customs and values of his ancestors.

During his years at the University of California, Ishi shared priceless knowledge of Yahi language, tools, stories, and survival skills. Through him, fragments of a culture nearly erased by colonization were preserved for future generations. His story is not only one of tragedy, but also one of resilience, memory, and the enduring spirit of Indigenous peoples.

What part of Ishi’s story moved you the most — his resilience, his silence, or his loyalty to tradition?

Little Bighorn Battlefield honors the remarkable life, leadership, and service of Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell — a ma...
05/11/2026

Little Bighorn Battlefield honors the remarkable life, leadership, and service of Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell — a man whose work helped preserve and recognize the deeper history of Native nations in America.

As the great-grandson of Ruben Black Horse, who fought alongside Northern Cheyenne, Arapaho, and Lakota warriors at the Battle of Little Bighorn, Senator Campbell carried forward a legacy rooted in courage, remembrance, and cultural pride.

In 1991, he sponsored the legislation that changed the monument’s name and helped establish the committee responsible for creating the Indian Memorial, ensuring that the voices and sacrifices of Indigenous warriors and families would never be forgotten. His leadership also helped pave the way for the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian, which opened in Washington, D.C., in 2004 and became a lasting symbol of Native history, resilience, and identity.

Because of his efforts, future generations are able to experience a fuller and more truthful understanding of the Battle of Little Bighorn and the Native peoples whose stories are forever tied to that land. His legacy continues to inspire remembrance, respect, and unity across generations.

How important is it to preserve Indigenous history and ensure every side of the story is remembered for future generations?

They’ll tell you George Custer died at Little Bighorn.But for generations, they refused to speak the name of the Native ...
05/10/2026

They’ll tell you George Custer died at Little Bighorn.
But for generations, they refused to speak the name of the Native woman who helped bring him down.

Her name was Buffalo Calf Road Woman — a Northern Cheyenne warrior whose courage became legend among her people.

In June 1876, during the Battle of the Rosebud, she saw her brother trapped under enemy fire after his horse was shot down. Without hesitation, she charged directly into the battlefield through bullets and chaos, lifted him onto her horse, and carried him to safety. Her fearless act inspired Cheyenne and Lakota warriors to turn back and fight harder — changing the course of the battle.

Only days later, at the Battle of Little Bighorn, she rode into history once again. Oral histories passed down through Cheyenne families say Buffalo Calf Road Woman struck Custer from his horse during the fierce fighting. Whether she delivered the final blow or not, her bravery became part of one of the most important Native victories against the U.S. Cavalry.

She fought not for fame, but for her family, her people, and the survival of her nation. After the battles, she endured starvation, loss, and relentless hardship as Native communities were attacked and displaced. She died young, around the age of 35, but her story survived through the voices of Cheyenne elders who refused to let her memory disappear.

For more than a century, mainstream history overlooked Native women warriors like Buffalo Calf Road Woman, Moving Robe, Pretty Nose, and many others. Yet their strength, leadership, and sacrifice remained alive in the stories carried by their people.

Today, Buffalo Calf Road Woman stands as a symbol of resistance, courage, and the unbreakable spirit of Native women.

✨ If history had told her story sooner, how differently would the world view Native women today?

Did you know that Apache youth in 19th-century New Mexico were raised in one of the harshest and most uncertain environm...
05/10/2026

Did you know that Apache youth in 19th-century New Mexico were raised in one of the harshest and most uncertain environments in North America—yet carried within them a spirit that could not be broken?

From childhood, Apache boys and girls were taught not only how to survive, but how to protect the future of their people. In a land marked by conflict, displacement, and constant pressure from settlers and the military, every lesson mattered. Young boys learned tracking, horseback riding, hunting, and warrior skills, preparing to defend their families and communities. Young girls mastered gathering food, preparing meals, crafting clothing, and preserving traditions that held the tribe together.

But their lives were about far more than survival.

Apache youth grew up listening to sacred stories, learning tribal songs, respecting nature, and honoring the wisdom of their elders. Ceremonies like the Apache Sunrise Ceremony (Na'ii'ees) celebrated the strength, resilience, and spiritual importance of young women as they entered adulthood. These traditions reminded the community that every new generation carried the responsibility of keeping Apache identity alive.

Even during times of hardship, raids, forced relocation, and cultural suppression, Apache children and teenagers continued to learn the language, values, and customs of their ancestors. Their courage helped preserve a culture that outsiders tried to erase.

The young people in this photograph were not simply witnesses to history—they were guardians of heritage, symbols of endurance, and the living hope of the Apache people.

What lessons do you think modern generations can learn from the resilience and unity of Apache youth?

Some people leave behind wealth.Some leave behind titles, recognition, or moments of fame that slowly fade with time.But...
05/09/2026

Some people leave behind wealth.
Some leave behind titles, recognition, or moments of fame that slowly fade with time.

But a few rare people leave behind something far greater — a legacy that continues protecting and inspiring generations long after they are gone.

Tillie Black Bear was one of those people.

A proud Sicangu Lakota advocate, organizer, survivor, and protector of Native women, she dedicated her life to speaking out against violence affecting Indigenous communities, especially Native women and children. At a time when these issues were often ignored or hidden from public attention, she refused to stay silent.

She understood the pain many Native women carried.
She listened to survivors when others would not.
She created spaces where women could feel safe, heard, and supported.
And she spent decades fighting for justice, healing, and dignity for Indigenous women across Native communities.

Tillie Black Bear was also the founder of the White Buffalo Calf Woman Society, one of the first Native-led domestic violence shelters and advocacy organizations on the Rosebud Reservation. Her work became a lifeline for countless survivors seeking protection, guidance, and hope.

She helped bring national awareness to the crisis of violence against Indigenous women long before many people were willing to acknowledge it. Because of leaders like her, conversations around Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) have reached more people around the world today.

Her activism was never about fame.
It was about protecting lives.
Protecting culture.
Protecting future generations.

Tillie Black Bear showed the world that true leadership is not measured by power or popularity, but by compassion, courage, and the willingness to stand beside people during their hardest moments.

Even after facing immense challenges herself, she continued to fight for justice with strength, wisdom, and determination. Her voice became a source of hope for many Native women who felt unseen and unheard.

Today, her legacy continues through every survivor who found support, every Native woman who found her voice, and every community still working toward safety, healing, and justice.

Tillie Black Bear’s story reminds us that one person’s courage can create change that echoes for generations.

How can we continue honoring Native women and supporting the voices that still fight for justice today?

The earth gives its blessings to the hands that gather with gratitude 🍃🪶
05/08/2026

The earth gives its blessings to the hands that gather with gratitude 🍃🪶

Some paths are meant to be walked together beneath the blessing of the same sky. 🐎🌅🪶
05/08/2026

Some paths are meant to be walked together beneath the blessing of the same sky. 🐎🌅🪶

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