"A man's heart away from nature becomes hard; lack of respect for growing, living things soon leads to a lack of respect for humans too." Luther Standing Bear, (December 1868-February 20, 1939) (Ota Kte, "Plenty Kill" or "Mochunozhin") was an Oglala Lakota chief notable in American history as an Native American author, educator, philosopher, and actor of the twentieth century.
"All things are connected. Whatever befalls the earth befalls the children of the earth." Chief Seattle, (c. 1786 – June 7, 1866) was a Dkhw'Duw'Absh (Duwamish) chief. A prominent figure among his people, he pursued a path of accommodation to white settlers, forming a personal relationship with David Swinson "Doc" Maynard. The city of Seattle, in the U.S. state of Washington, was named after him.
"Each man is good in His sight. It is not necessary for eagles to be crows." Hunkesni (Sitting Bull), Hunkpapa Sioux, c. 1831 – December 15, 1890) was a Hunkpapa Lakota holy man who led his people as a tribal chief during years of resistance to United States government policies.
"Do right always. It will give you satisfaction in life." Wovoka, Paiute, (c. 1856 - September 20, 1932),[1] also known as Jack Wilson, was the Northern Paiute religious leader who founded the Ghost Dance movement.
"He was no liar, he was not bloody and cruel . . . ; in anger and passion he was soon reclaimed; easy to be reconciled towards such as had offended him; [he] ruled by reason in such measure as he would not scorn the advice of mean men; and . . . he governed his men better with few strokes, than others did with many; truly loving where he loved." Hobbamock, Pokanoket pniese speaking about Massosoit; Hobbamock was a Native American who served as a guide, interpreter, and aide to the Pilgrims of Plymouth, Massachusetts.
"Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect." Chief Seattle, 1854 - (c. 1786 – June 7, 1866) was a Dkhw'Duw'Absh (Duwamish) chief. A prominent figure among his people, he pursued a path of accommodation to white settlers, forming a personal relationship with David Swinson "Doc" Maynard. The city of Seattle, in the U.S. state of Washington, was named after him.
"I am poor and naked but I am the chief of a nation. We do not want riches but we do want to train our children right. Riches would do us no good. We could not take them with us to the other world. We do not want riches. We want peace and love." Red Cloud, Oglala Sioux, (1822 – December 10, 1909) was an important leader of the Oglala Lakota.
"I do not think the measure of a civilization is how tall its buildings of concrete are, but rather how well its people have learned to relate to their environment and fellow man." Sun Bear of the Chippewa Tribe
". . . I have seen that in any great undertaking it is not enough for a man to depend simply upon himself." Shooter Teton Sioux
"It does not require many words to speak the truth." Chief Joseph, (March 3, 1840 – September 21, 1904), succeeded his father Tuekakas (Chief Joseph the Elder) as the leader of the Wal-lam-wat-kain (Wallowa) band of Nez Perce, a Native American tribe indigenous to the Wallowa Valley in northeastern Oregon
"Listen or your tongue will keep you deaf." Native American Proverb
"Listen to all the teachers in the woods. Watch the trees, the animals and all the living things - you'll learn more from them than books." Joe Coyhis
"No tragedian ever trod the stage, nor gladiator ever entered the Roman Forum, with more grace and manly dignity . . ." George Catlin was describing Four Bears arriving the day of his first sitting for the painting. George Catlin (July 26, 1796 – December 23, 1872) was an American painter, author, and traveler who specialized in portraits of Native Americans in the Old West. Mato-tope (also known as Ma-to-toh-pe or Four Bears, from mato "bear" and tope "four") (c.1795 - July 30, 1837) was the second chief of the Mandan tribe to be known to whites as "Four Bears", a name he earned after charging the Assiniboine tribe during battle with the strength of four bears.
"Our dealings with the Indian properly lay us open to charges of cruelty and swindling." Ulysses S. Grant (born Hiram Ulysses Grant; April 27, 1822 – July 23, 1885) was an American soldier, politician, and international statesman who served as the 18th president of the United States from 1869 to 1877. During the American Civil War, General Grant, with President Abraham Lincoln, led the Union Army to victory over the Confederacy.
"Our nation is melting away like the snow on the side of the hills where the sun is warm, while your people are like the blades of grass in the Spring when summer is coming." Red Cloud (Lakota: Maȟpíya Lúta) (1822 – December 10, 1909) was one of the most important leaders of the Oglala Lakota from 1868 to 1909.
"Seated in close view, among ladies of 'the first rank and fashion,' he felt himself being gazed at in a way he and others had once gazed at the Indian chiefs who came to address Congress, except that he found it difficult to command such 'power of the face' "as the chiefs had. This was written by author David McCullough in the book John Adams about John Adams' thoughts when he visited France.
"Take only memories, leave nothing but footprints." Chief Seattle, (c. 1786 – June 7, 1866) was a Dkhw'Duw'Absh (Duwamish) chief.
"That hand is not the color of your hand, but if I pierce it I shall feel pain. The blood that will follow from mine will be the same color as yours. The Great Spirit made us both." Luther Standing Bear, Oglala Sioux
"The Circle has healing power, In the Circle, we are all equal. When in the Circle, no one is in front of you. No one is behind you. No one is above you. No one is below you. The Sacred Circle is designed to create unity. The Hoop of Life is also a circle. On this hoop there is a place for every epecies, every race, every tree and every plant. It is this completeness of Life that must be respected in order to bring about health on this planet." Dave Chief, Oglala Lakota
"The earth and myself are of one mind." Chief Seattle, Nez Perce
"The old Lakota was wise. He knew that man's heart away from nature becomes hard." Luther Standing Bear, Oglala Sioux
"Treat the earth well; it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children. We do not inherit the Earth from our Ancestors, we borrow it from our Children." Ancient Indian Proverb
"Wars of extermination . . . are demoralizing and wicked. Our superiority should make us lenient toward the Indian. The wrongs inflicted upon him should be taken into account and the balance placed to his credit." Ulysses S. Grant (born Hiram Ulysses Grant; April 27, 1822 – July 23, 1885) was an American soldier, politician, and international statesman who served as the 18th president of the United States from 1869 to 1877. During the American Civil War, General Grant, with President Abraham Lincoln, led the Union Army to victory over the Confederacy.
"We must protect the forests for our children, grandchildren and children yet to be born. We must protect the forests for those who can't speak for themselves such as the birds, animals, fish and trees." Zitkala-Sa, (1876–1938) also known by the missionary-given name Gertrude Simmons Bonnin, was a Sioux writer, editor, musician, teacher and political activist.
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