Melissa Goodblanket is a mother, storyteller, ceremonialist, activist, and subject of the documentary Savage Land. She carries the deep soul calling to share the wisdoms of awakening the human soul to remember the original instructions of living in right relationship with all life.

She entered into this current life-walk through the Northwest and grew up in the South along the Appalachian Trail on Tsalagi land. She currently resides on the forced relocation lands of the Southern Cheyenne and Arapaho, where she has made her home and family for 31 years. She has shown resilience and grace through the acts of modern genocide after experiencing the death of her 18 year old son at the hands of law enforcement in her own home on Dec 21, 2013.

Since her son was taken from her, Melissa has worked tirelessly to seek justice, bring healing, and prevent other youth and families in Indigenous communities from experiencing a similar fate. She lucidly connects the violence perpetrated against her son within the broader context of social justice and colonization, in a way that brings people into community, rooted in practices for healing and fostering unity, Melissa has helped catalyze action in local, state, and national arenas related to the pressing issue of police violence.

Melissa promotes cross-cultural relationship building and unity, and helps youth, adults, and families access traditional healing practices that prevent and address common community issues like substance abuse, mental health struggles, and violence. She has been a healing practitioner for more than 45 years, utilizing ancient wisdom and knowledge from around the world. Her husband, Wilbur, is a leader among the Native American Church in Oklahoma, and both tribal and non tribal folks locally and out of state are dependent on the Goodblanket ceremonial grounds.

Diagnosed with bladder cancer in 2021, Melissa journeyed through chemotherapy and radical surgery. She says, “the gratitude for life is always present, yet I am constantly in grief mode surrounding the question of how to pay for my medical supplies, which I will need for the rest of my life. Being a member of humanity during “These Times” has its challenges for all of us yet the Universal Wisdom calls out to us and reminds us to stay in balance moving forward to continue the work, hold the focus and give our gratitudes for everything we have experienced, what we are currently experiencing and all the experiences yet to unfold.”