Customer Reviews

Every Day Is a Good Day: Reflections by Contemporary Indigenous Women

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Wilma Mankiller, along with a distinguished and talented cast of other Indian women, have created a book to savor in Every Day is a Good Day. Their highly individual perspectives on spirituality, history, culture, and womanhood should appeal to men as well as women and people of all cultures. The book dispels a number of myths long held by non-Indians who may be well-meaning but poorly informed. As a woman, I was heartened by the indigenous woman's sense of herself as integral to the community, equal to the men of her tribe, happy being "brown and round" rather than caught up with negative body images and the superficial, youth-oriented and consumer-driven culture of much of mainstream America. Every writer speaks of the damage to indigenous culture wreaked by Eurocentric domination, but at the same time, these women offer a resilient, proud, and surprisingly optimistic view of today and tomorrow.

This is a book to keep on hand next to your favorite chair or on your night stand. It is not literary fast food but a deep and expansive collection of thoughts to read and contemplate a chapter at a time.

The book concludes with a photo and brief bio of each of the contributing women. I had a sense of familiarity with them because of their words, but their messages also taught me that I would be arrogant to think that I "knew" them. Having lived all my fifty years in the West, never more than an hour away from an Indian reservation, I thought I knew a lot about indigenous culture, but Every Day is a Good Day gave me an articulate yet gentle comeuppance. The writers reveal nuances of Native American culture. They also celebrate the profound joy to be found in life, a joy that is available for people of any religion or ethnic group.

Composed and compiled by author, activist and former principal chief of the Cherokee Nation Wilma Mankiller, Every Day Is A Good Day is an anthology of writings by Native American women reflecting on such varied topics as day-to-day life, love and acceptance, governmental issues, ceremony, finding one's way through difficult times, and much more. Black-and-white photographs of the contributors are included, but the primary focus of Every Day Is A Good Day is the power of the multitude of voices, most of which are from different tribes, and each one's message to all readers. A welcome amalgamation of wisdom, warnings, and dry commentary.

I picked up this book at a native american museum while traveling through Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons. It was a great book to read while savoring the stunning scenery of jagged peaks, meadows and buffalo herds. These women provide a model of inspiration and admiration on how to live; in tune with extended family, the larger community and the environment. I found their way of thinking similar in many ways to Buddhism; being mindful and loving in how one interacts with the world and people around them. Before reading this, I was grateful to have read A Different Mirror by Takaki which taught me the real history of America, not the whitewashed version we learned in school. How is it we never learned about the Trail of Tears in grade school?? This is a wonderful book which I will treasure!

Imagine yourself sitting quietly in a comfortable furnished room. Imagine a circle of women in the center of that room, of all different shapes, sizes, and ages, but with one obvious thing in common: they are all indigenous women, Native American Indians from assorted tribes. Though their languages may be different, their backgrounds and experiences varied, and the specifics of their cultures and traditions unique, they are united in their deep belief that the success of their tribes, as well as of the Earth itself, depends upon preserving their languages and cultures and working to save the land itself.

Now you can stop imagining. To hear what these women have to say, all you have to do is pick up Wilma Mankiller's incredible book, Every Day is a Good Day.

Mankiller interviewed nineteen indigenous women who, in the author's own words, "...made a conscious choice to lead a meaningful life by building on the positive attributes of their communities instead of focusing only on the daunting set of economic and social problems that they deal with daily."

This collection of essays is thematically organized. Mankiller has divided Every Day is a Good Day into chapters based on such subjects as ceremony, womanhood, and love and acceptance. She begins each chapter with a short introduction, providing the reader with a background for the conversation to come, as well as her own personal experience and ideas concerning it. Only then does Mankiller weave the words of the various women together to create a conversation-like atmosphere. Although not together physically when interviewed, Mankiller masterfully brings their words together to create a circle of women talking and sharing their views on life.

Throughout the book, the speakers come back again and again to the idea that what sets Native Americans apart, and is their hope for survival and renewal, is their world-view. They do not see themselves as single units in a world of single units. Instead, they are all connected.to their families, their tribes, their ancestors, the plants and animals that live around them; indeed, with the very Earth itself. The speakers agree that preserving this world-view, which includes their traditional languages and cultures, is crucial to their health as individuals and communities as well as the health of the Earth we all live on.

One of my favorite sections was the one entitled "Womanhood." The women spoke of traditional women within the context of family, community, nation, and care of the planet. They celebrated the important role women have played in traditional societies historically, as well as looking ahead and advising the women concerning the responsibilities they must take on in order to bring about harmony and balance again. Some of women point out that a woman.s identity cannot be separated from the land itself; neither can it be seen in isolation, disconnected from the community, or from the women who came before and taught them how to experience life.

In the last chapter of Every Day is a Good Day, "The Way Home," the women discuss what lies ahead for them, their communities, and the planet. To them, these are not separate entities; rather, they come together to form a greater whole. The three things that keep coming up again and again throughout the chapter are language, culture, and connection to everyone and everything that is a part of the Earth. The women do not deny the huge social and economical issues that Native Americans face. They do, however, strive to look at them in a positive way, searching for solutions rather than floundering in self-pity or anger.

Overall, I enjoyed Every Day is a Good Day very much, especially the contributions by Mankiller herself. She shines through as a strong, deeply caring and committed individual who has faced many battles in many different aspects of her life. This is a book that should be kept near at hand, to be picked up and paged through often, highlighter and pen in hand. We can all learn something from the wisdom and perseverance of these deeply spiritual and highly committed women.

by Khadijah Lacina
for Story Circle Book Reviews
reviewing books by, for, and about women

The book is very insightful into the workings of the tribal structures and the life of Wilma Mankiller. I had heard that she has died recently. Though she had many health problems, her overall outlook on life was very positive as the title of the book suggests.

Amazing work! A wonderful collection about outstanding, powerful Native American Women! For anyone wanting a more complete view of native women and what they've accomplished and plan for the future.

should include this book. Wilma graces her story with those of her colleagues.