Values and family create leaders
By Tanya Lee,
http://www.indiancountrytoday.com/living/65980317.html
Condensed by Native Village
Mississippi: Norma-Chaé Isaac, 18, is a member of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians. After graduation, she hopes to attend Oklahoma University to major in Native American Studies. “Their program is really fascinating to me," Isaac said. "I’ve always been really big on Native American culture.”
Following college, Norma-Chae hopes to work at at the National Museum of the American Indian, a place she believes should have more display place for smaller tribes.
Then, after a couple years, Norma wants to
return home to become a teacher. Her
goal is to teach Choctaw history at her
high school.
“For me, it’s about keeping the culture
alive," she said. "I’ve done that by my traditional
Choctaw beadwork, turning it into an art
and doing something good with it.”
The
“something good” has to do with
Nicholas, her
autistic
17-year-old brother. When
Norma-Chae goes to 
powwows,
she sets up a table
to talk to people about autism, a neurological
disorder.
Isaac also raises money for Autism
support groups by raffling or auctioning
off her beadwork at powwows. One
organization she helps is TEAAM,
(Together Enhancing Autism Awareness in
Mississippi.) TEAAM runs a summer camp
for autistic youth, Isaac said. TEAAM sent her a letter saying their
funds were low, so they
could not provide enough activities for
their older campers. “I wouldn’t want my
brother to be bored if he went there,"
she said.”
At Choctaw Central H.S., Norma-Chae is a top
student in the senior class. She is also
an artist, fancy shawl dancer, soccer
player, and involved in her school's
robotics team. Norma-Chae has just finished her
reign as Louisiana Indian Heritage
Association Pow Wow Princess.
When asked for her idea of a strong Native women , Isaac named three women in her life:
Former
Choctaw Indian Princess Tia Anderson.
"She is the epitome of a strong Choctaw
woman. She has this quality about her.
When I hear ‘strong woman,’ I picture
Miss Anderson. She managed school and
her duties as a princess. She is
preparing to be a lawyer. I see all
these wonderful things that she’s doing
and how she’s contributed.
Danielle Isaac, Cousin: . "She is more of a family
type of Choctaw woman, wanting to be
there for the family. I admire her very
much.”
Her mother. “My
mother is the most influential woman in
my life. She reached a point in her life
where she knew she could be strong, and
she made me stronger. Everything my mother does makes me appreciate her
more, makes me stronger. Even when I do
mess up something, she’s always there
for me. She is my rock, something I can
just lean on when I’m at the lowest
point or at the highest.
In fact, Isaac’s bond to
her mother is celebrated within her name:
Norma-Chaé Ishki Hoba Isaac.
"Ishki Hoba" means “look or be like mother,”
Isaac explained.
Isaac offered a quote to explain a bit
of her personal philosophy: “If you
shoot for the moon and miss, at least
you’ll be among the stars. Even if you don’t come close to what
you are aiming for, you’ll
still be up there, doing community work,
or being with your family or even
friends.”
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