Native American freedom fighter Russell Means

Russell Means was a famous Native American for many reasons. He was a committed activist on behalf of American Indians and has been a well-known leader and speaker for the American Indian Movement (AIM).

Means, who was an Ogala Sioux, was born on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota but in 1942 he moved with his parents to the San Francisco Bay area where he graduated from high school in 1958.

His education was to serve him well as he forged a career for himself in politics and acting, as well as in music having recorded an album entitled Electric Warrior on the SOAR label.

Whilst Russell Means was famous for speaking out on behalf of the rights of his people and being involved in political campaigns for the American Indians, he is perhaps not so well-known for being a very strong believer in matriarchy. Means felt that unless we have a paradigm shift that brings the world into being run under a matriarchal system then we have a very bleak outloook ahead for the world.

Russell Means said: "If we don't have matriarchy we are lost."

He pointed out that the patriarchal system has brought untold suffering and the deaths of billions of people, as well as doing incredible damage to the ecology of the planet. Russell Means said that under a matriarchy, which we once had, humans live in balance with nature. Mother Earth's creations, her animals and plants, are treated with great respect, and this respect should be shared amongst humans too.

Russell Means has spoken out at great length advocating matriarchy as the way forward if we want to change the world for the better and stop the wars, deaths, destruction and suffering going on in the current situation.

Russell Means became a well-known public figure not just for his outspoken stance as a political activist on behalf of American Indians, but also for his acting roles in several films and for his television appearances. Means starred as Chief Chingachgook in The Last of the Mohicans in 1992 and made his debut as an actor on the big screen. He also had roles in Natural Born Killers and Into The West.

Means made a name for himself as a writer as well. An autobiography by Russell Means, entitled Where White Men Fear To Tread, was published in 1997.

American artist the late Andy Warhol immortalised Russell Means in 18 potraits he included in his American Indian Series.

Russell Means was admitted to hospital in Arizona suffering from cancer of the esophagus that has returned. After originally being diagnosed with the condition back in 2011 he had fought it with alternative healing methods including prayer.

He lost his final battle in this world when he died on 22 October, 2012.