Native American Earth Quotes:

I do not see a delegation for the Four Footed. I see no seat for the Eagles. We forget and we consider ourselves superior. But we are after all a mere part of Creation. And we must consider to understand where we are. And we stand somewhere between the mountain and the Ant. Somewhere and only there as part and parcel of the Creation.

source: Luther Standing Bear (2006). “My People the Sioux”, p.17, U of Nebraska Press

topic: Beautiful, Native American, Thinking, Lakota, Modern Culture

Quotation Chief Seattle The earth does not belong to man man belongs to Quotes

- Oren Lyons

source: "Animal Grace: Can Humans Rise to the Call?" by Sheila Shayon, www.huffingtonpost.com. July 3, 2009.

topic: Native American, Eagles, Mountain, Delegation, Great Native American

When the Earth is sick, the animals will begin to disappear, when that happens, The Warriors of the Rainbow will come to save them.

I was born on the prairies where the wind blew free and there was nothing to break the light of the sun. I was born where there were no enclosures.

topic: Inspirational, Life, Native American, Seattle, Great Native American

- Geronimo

source: "Biography / Personal Quotes". www.imdb.com.

topic: Break Up, Freedom, Native American, Prairie, Apaches

Man's heart away from nature becomes hard.

- Standing Bear

topic: Nature, Heart, Men, Man And Nature, Beautiful Nature

Kinship with all creatures of the earth, sky and water was a real and active principle. In the animal and bird world there existed a brotherly feeling that kept the Lakota safe among them. And so close did some of the Lakotas come to their feathered and furred friends that in true brotherhood they spoke a common tongue.

One does not sell the earth upon which the people walk.

source: Luther Standing Bear (2006). “Land of the Spotted Eagle”, p.193, U of Nebraska Press

topic: Real, Animal, Sky, Indian Wisdom, Lakota

- Crazy Horse

source: "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee". Book by Dee Brown. Chapter 12, 1970.

topic: People, Justice, Doe, Native American Earth

The American Indian is of the soil, whether it be the region of forests, plains, pueblos, or mesas. He fits into the landscape, for the hand that fashioned the continent also fashioned the man for his surroundings. He once grew as naturally as the wild sunflowers, he belongs just as the buffalo belonged....

The earth does not belong to man, man belongs to the earth. All things are connected like the blood that unites us all. Man did not weave the web of life, he is merely a strand in it. Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself.

source: Luther Standing Bear (2006). “Land of the Spotted Eagle”, p.247, U of Nebraska Press

topic: Native American, Men, Hands, American Landscape, Native American Dream

The sky is round, and I have heard that the earth is round like a ball, and so are all the stars. The wind, in its greatest power, whirls. Birds make their nests in circles, for theirs is the same religion as ours...

source: Chief Seattle, “This we know”

topic: Life, Travel, Men, Seattle, Web Of Life

The earth was created by the assistance of the sun, and it should be left as it was. The country was made without lines of demarcation, and it is no man's business to divide it.

source: Black Elk (2000). “Black Elk Speaks: Being the Life Story of a Holy Man of the Oglala Sioux”, Bison Books

topic: Stars, Native American, Wind, Indian Wisdom, Cherokee

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.

topic: Country, Men, Earth, Indian Wisdom, American Indian

The old people came literally to love the soil and they sat or reclined on the ground with a feeling of being close to a mothering power. It was good for the skin to touch the earth and the old people liked to remove their moccasins and walk with bare feet on the sacred earth. Their tipis were built upon the earth and their altars were made of earth. The birds that flew into the air came to rest upon the earth and it was the final abiding place of all things that lived and grew. The soil was soothing, strengthening, cleansing and healing.

topic: Life, Lonely, Nature, Indian, Inspirational Earth

Traditional people of Indian nations have interpreted the two roads that face the light-skinned race as the road to technology and the road to spirituality. We feel that the road to technology.... has led modern society to a damaged and seared earth. Could it be that the road to technology represents a rush to destruction, and that the road to spirituality represents the slower path that the traditional native people have traveled and are now seeking again? The earth is not scorched on this trail. The grass is still growing there.

source: Luther Standing Bear (2006). “Land of the Spotted Eagle”, p.192, U of Nebraska Press

topic: Healing, Feet, Air, Indian, Spiritual Indian

- William Commanda

topic: Native American, Technology, Light, Spiritual Indian, Two Roads

We believe profoundly in silence-the sign of a perfect equilibrium. Silence is the absolute poise or balance of body, mind, and spirit.

- Charles Alexander Eastman

topic: Believe, Perfect, Silence, Indian Wisdom, Spiritual Indian

We do not want riches, we want peace and love.

- Red Cloud

topic: Love, Peace, Want, Indian Wisdom, Peace Love

Love your life, perfect your life, beautify all things in your life.

Children must early learn the the beauty of generosity. They are taught to give what they prize most, that they may taste the happiness of giving.

source: "A Sourcebook for Earth's Community of Religions". Book by Joel Diederik Beversluis, 1993.

topic: Love You, Perfect, Love Your Life, Indian, Indian Tribes

- Charles Alexander Eastman

topic: Life, Children, Generosity, Indian Tribes, Indian Wisdom

The power of the world always works in circles.

If you talk to the animals they will talk with you and you will know each other. If you do not talk to them you will not know them and what you do not know, you will fear. What one fears, one destroys.

topic: Circles, World, Indian, Indian Wisdom, Spiritual Indian

- Chief Dan George

topic: Native American, Animal, Native, Indian Wisdom, Great Spirit

If the white man wants to live in peace with the Indian, he can live in peace.....Treat all men alike. Give them all the same law. Give them all an even chance to live and grow. All men were made by the same Great Spirit Chief. They are all brothers. The Earth is the mother of all people, and all people should have equal rights upon it.......Let me be a free man, free to travel, free to stop, free to work, free to trade....where I choose my own teachers, free to follow the religion of my fathers, free to think and talk and act for myself, and I will obey every law, or submit to the penalty.

The first peace, which is the most important, is that which comes within the souls of people when they realize their relationship, their oneness with the universe and all its powers, and when they realize that at the center of the universe dwells the Great Spirit, and that this center is really everywhere, it is within each of us.

source: Lincoln Hall Speech in Washington D.C., January 14, 1879.

topic: Mother, Teacher, Brother, Indian, Indian Wisdom

Birds make their nest in circles, for theirs is the same religion as ours.

topic: Inspirational, Wisdom, Peace, Spirit And Soul, Elders

Everything the Power of the World does is done in a circle. The sky is round, and I have heard that the earth is round like a ball, and so are all the stars. The wind, in its greatest power whirls. Birds make their nest in circles... The sun comes forth and goes down again in a circle. The moon does the same and both are round. Even the seasons form a great circle in their changing, and always come back again to where they were.

topic: Circles, Bird, Religion, Cherokee, Native American Dream

- John Neihardt

topic: Stars, Native American, Moon, Indian Wisdom, Native America

We know our lands have now become more valuable. The white people think we do not know their value; but we know that the land is everlasting, and the few goods we receive for it are soon worn out and gone.

- Canasatego

topic: Native American, Thinking, Land, America Land, Great Native American

So live your life that the fear of death can never enter your heart. Trouble no one about their religion; respect others in their view, and demand that they respect yours. Love your life, perfect your life, beautify all things in your life. Seek to make your life long and its purpose in the service of your people. Prepare a noble death song for the day when you go over the great divide

How smooth must be the language of the whites, when they can make right look like wrong, and wrong like right.

source: "A Sourcebook for Earth's Community of Religions". Book by Joel Diederik Beversluis, 1993.

topic: Song, Love You, Heart, Indian Tribes, Indian Wisdom

- Black Hawk

source: Black Hawk, John B. Patterson (1836). “Life of Ma-Ka-Tai-Me-She-Kia-Kiak, or Black Hawk: With an account of the late war”, p.97

topic: Native American, Looks, Language, Native Language, Indigenous

All men were made by the Great Spirit Chief. They are all brothers.

You ask me to plow the ground. Shall I take a knife and tear my mother's bosom? Then when I die she will not take me to her bosom to rest.

topic: Brother, Reality, Men, Indian, Indian Wisdom

- Wovoka

topic: Mother, Native American, Knives, Plowing, Bosoms

I did not know then how much was ended. When I look back now from this high hill of my old age, I can still see the butchered women and children lying heaped and scattered all along the crooked gulch as plain as when I saw them with eyes still young. And I can see that something else died there in the bloody mud, and was buried in the blizzard. A people's dream died there. It was a beautiful dream.

We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children

source: "Black Elk Speaks". Book by John Gneisenau Neihardt, 1932.

topic: Beautiful, Dream, Children, Wounded Knee, Blizzard

Where today are the Pequot? Where are the Narragansett, the Mohican, the Pcanet, and other powerful tribes of our people? They have vanished before the avarice and oppression of the white man, as snow before the summer sun.

topic: Motivational, Wisdom, Peace, Indian, Indian Wisdom

Always give a word or a sign of salute when meeting or passing a friend,even a stranger, when in a lonely place. Show respect to all people and grovel to none. When you arise in the morning give thanks for the food and for the joy of living. If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies only in yourself...

topic: Summer, Powerful, Men, Indian Tribes, Summer Sun

When your time comes to die, be not like those whose hearts are filled with fear of death, so that when their time comes they weep and pray for a little more time to live their lives over again in a different way. Sing your death song, and die like a hero going home.

source: "A Sourcebook for Earth's Community of Religions". Book by Joel Diederik Beversluis, 1993.

topic: Lonely, Morning, Lying, Indian, Joy Of Living

I am poor and naked, but I am the chief of the 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.

source: "A Sourcebook for Earth's Community of Religions". Book by Joel Diederik Beversluis, 1993.

topic: Life, Death, Wisdom, Indian Wisdom, Meaningful Death

- Red Cloud

topic: Love, Life, Peace, Indian, Indian Wisdom

Knowledge was inherent in all things. The world was a library.

All things share the same breath - the beast, the tree, the man... the air shares its spirit with all the life it supports.

source: Luther Standing Bear (2006). “Land of the Spotted Eagle”, p.194, U of Nebraska Press

topic: Knowledge, Library, World, Indian Wisdom, Lakota

Suppose a white man should come to me and say, "Joseph, I like your horses. I want to buy them." I say to him, "No, my horses suit me; I will not sell them." Then he goes to my neighbor and says to him, "Joseph has some good horses. I want to buy them, but he refuses to sell." My neighbor answers, "Pay me the money and I will sell you Joseph's horses." The white man returns to me and says, "Joseph, I have bought your horses and you must let me have them." If we sold our lands to the government, this is the way they bought them.

source: Seattle (Chief) (1976). “Chief Seattle's Testimony”

topic: Native American, Men, Air, Indian Wisdom, Seattle

All men were made brothers. The earth is the mother of all people, and all people should have equal rights upon it. You might as well expect the rivers to run backward as that any man who was born free should be content when penned up and denied liberty to go where he pleases.

source: Arguing against the right of the US Government to force his people to leave their lands, 1876.

topic: I Like You, Horse, Men, Indian Wisdom, Good Horse

A man who would not love his father's grave is worse than a wild animal.

source: Lincoln Hall Speech in Washington D.C., January 14, 1879.

topic: Mother, Running, Brother, Indian, Born Free

And I say the sacred hoop of my people was one of the many hoops that made one circle, wide as daylight and as starlight, and in the center grew one mighty flowering tree to shelter all the children of one mother and one father.

topic: Father, Animal, Men, Native American Earth