CinemaOSMovie · 2013 · 1h 32m · PG

The Cherokee Word for Water

The story of Wilma Mankiller, the first modern female Chief of the Cherokee Nation.

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The Cherokee Word for Water is a feature-length motion picture that tells the story of the work that led Wilma Mankiller to become the first modern female Chief of the Cherokee Nation. Set in the early 1980s, The Cherokee Word for Water begins in the homes of a small town in rural Oklahoma where many houses lack running water and others are little more than shacks. The movie is told from the perspective of Wilma Mankiller and full-blood Cherokee organizer Charlie Soap who join forces to battle opposition and build a 16-mile waterline system using a community of volunteers. In the process, they inspire the townspeople to trust each other, to trust their way of thinking, and to spark a reawakening of the universal indigenous values of reciprocity and interconnectedness. This project also inspired a self-help movement in Indian Country that continues to this day. The movie is dedicated to Wilma Mankiller’s vision, compassion and incredible grace.

Directed byCharlie Soap, Tim Kelly

Play
Status
Released
Runtime
1h 32m
Language
EN
Released
May 1, 2013

Featuring

Cast & crew

7 credited
Starring

Kimberly Guerrero

Wilma Mankiller

Mo J.

Charlie Soap

Steeve Reeves

Johnson Soap

Darryl Tonemah

Chief Ross Swimmer

Oren R. Lyons

Oren R. Lyons

Grandfather

Zahn McClarnon

Zahn McClarnon

Deputy Jackson

Ben Livingston

Ben Livingston

Curly

Creative team
Directed by
Charlie Soap
Tim Kelly
Written by
Louise Rubacky
Tim Kelly
Produced by
Charlie Soap
Louise Rubacky

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