My favourite hero is Sacagawea, The Lady of the Land. A hero born in 1789, in modern – day Idaho, she lived with her father, who was the chief, and her brother. They belonged to an ancient tribe, the Shoshoni. People never expected her to have cheering talents, since she was a young Native American girl, but she lived a happy life.

 One fateful day, a storm entered her life when she was 11. Another enemy tribe battled the Shoshoni, and captured Sacagawea. But she became lucky, as the world would soon shed spotlight on her. One day, 2 explorers knocked on Sacagawea’s door.

Meriwether Lewis and William Clark were in desperate need of a Native American Interpreter. Sacagawea was pregnant, and it was a hard decision to put the baby through hardships, but this selfless Shoshoni girl felt it was her duty to guide the lost explorers.

Her baby was born sometime around the departure. Their grand expedition was a mission from Thomas Jefferson, to investigate the new lands he bought from France. (It was called the Louisiana Purchase.) As a translator, our heavenly hero worked harder than ever, being a guide alongside too. What a tiring life!

Her idealistic nature made Lewis and Clark realize Sacagawea’s full potential. She knew the secrets of the Earth. She understood its passageways, its food whereabouts, the mountains, the oceans, and was also a lifesaver.

But her iconic, pure heart came to life an unexpected day. The explorer crew was rowing the supply boat. Suddenly, they lost control of the oars and their weight almost tipped it completely! Panicking and ear–piercing screams echoed through the boat, but the brave brainstormer, Sacagawea, jumped into action. She rescued the supplies from the furiously fast waters with her stick, with her baby boy strapped to her back, like a true hero would.

A delightful day awaited her, when the crew needed horses for transportation. They were approaching the location where the Shoshoni tribe thrived. However, a tribal war party guarded the confines. But the war party surprisingly greeted the explorers peacefully, and brought them to their chief. And Sacagawea burst out in tears of joy, for it was her brother who sat on the throne. She stayed sometime with the tribe, but soon it was time to leave. Her brother asked her why she had to leave her family behind for the expedition.

 But even now, no one knows her reply, centuries later.

Their voyage was difficult and dangerous, with wild animals and illnesses obstructing their goal. But our trailblazer Sacagawea finally guided the explorers to safety, and that’s how the expedition became gloriously astonishing.

You see, people underestimated Sacagawea.

All because she was a young Native American girl.

But our hero shattered these stereotypes, and never let anyone limit her potential.

Wherever she journeyed in life, she never let the height, depth or obstacle push her down.

If you were Sacagawea, how would you transform the trail?

Inspired by: I am Sacagawea – By Brad Meltzer and Christopher Eliopoulos