About Ingrid Washinawatok El-Issa:
Ingrid Washinawatok El-Issa (1957–1999), Flying Eagle Woman, was born into the Menominee Nation of Wisconsin. A lifelong warrior for peace, Ingrid devoted her life to building Indigenous networks that safeguarded Native cultures and communities from social erasure, economic hardship, and environmental destruction.
Residing in Brooklyn, NY, Ingrid worked globally to protect Indigenous rights. In 1999, while aiding the U’wa people of Colombia to establish a school system, she was kidnapped and executed by the FARC. Her death was a profound loss, and she was honored by the Menominee Nation with full warrior rites. Ingrid’s spirit and fierce dedication to justice continue to inspire generations of Indigenous leaders and activists worldwide.
This project is an urgent effort to preserve and return her life’s work—spanning decades of advocacy—from Brooklyn back to the Menominee Reservation, while building a digital archive to ensure her teachings remain accessible for future generations.