Chief Seattle's Letter to All

[rudywoofs (Pam)]

Chief Seattle's Letter To All

THE PEOPLE

Chief Seattle, Chief of the Suquamish Indians allegedly wrote to the American Government in the 1800's - In this letter he gave the most profound understanding of God in all Things. Here is his letter, which should be instilled in the hearts and minds of every parent and child in all the Nations of the World:

CHIEF SEATTLE'S LETTER

"The President in Washington sends word that he wishes to buy our land. But how can you buy or sell the sky? the land? The idea is strange to us. If we do not own the freshness of the air and the sparkle of the water, how can you buy them?

Every part of the earth is sacred to my people. Every shining pine needle, every sandy shore, every mist in the dark woods, every meadow, every humming insect. All are holy in the memory and experience of my people.

We know the sap which courses through the trees as we know the blood that courses through our veins. We are part of the earth and it is part of us. The perfumed flowers are our sisters. The bear, the deer, the great eagle, these are our brothers. The rocky crests, the dew in the meadow, the body heat of the pony, and man all belong to the same family.

The shining water that moves in the streams and rivers is not just water, but the blood of our ancestors. If we sell you our land, you must remember that it is sacred. Each glossy reflection in the clear waters of the lakes tells of events and memories in the life of my people. The water's murmur is the voice of my father's father.

The rivers are our brothers. They quench our thirst. They carry our canoes and feed our children. So you must give the rivers the kindness that you would give any brother.

If we sell you our land, remember that the air is precious to us, that the air shares its spirit with all the life that it supports. The wind that gave our grandfather his first breath also received his last sigh. The wind also gives our children the spirit of life. So if we sell our land, you must keep it apart and sacred, as a place where man can go to taste the wind that is sweetened by the meadow flowers.

Will you teach your children what we have taught our children? That the earth is our mother? What befalls the earth befalls all the sons of the earth.

This we know: 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.

One thing we know: our God is also your God. The earth is precious to him and to harm the earth is to heap contempt on its creator.

Your destiny is a mystery to us. What will happen when the buffalo are all slaughtered? The wild horses tamed? What will happen when the secret corners of the forest are heavy with the scent of many men and the view of the ripe hills is blotted with talking wires? Where will the thicket be? Gone! Where will the eagle be? Gone! And what is to say goodbye to the swift pony and then hunt? The end of living and the beginning of survival.

When the last red man has vanished with this wilderness, and his memory is only the shadow of a cloud moving across the prairie, will these shores and forests still be here? Will there be any of the spirit of my people left?

We love this earth as a newborn loves its mother's heartbeat. So, if we sell you our land, love it as we have loved it. Care for it, as we have cared for it. Hold in your mind the memory of the land as it is when you receive it. Preserve the land for all children, and love it, as God loves us.

As we are part of the land, you too are part of the land. This earth is precious to us. It is also precious to you.

One thing we know - there is only one God. No man, be he Red man or White man, can be apart. We ARE all brothers after all."

[phkrause]

That was really great Pam. It seems we always want what someone else has! If someone is standing over there, than I want that spot, if he is over here, than I what that area also. Thanks for posting.

pk

[bonnie]

That was really great Pam. It seems we always want what someone else has! If someone is standing over there, than I want that spot, if he is over here, than I what that area also. Thanks for posting.

pk

It was a great story but it was not only the white man that wanted what someone else had.They remains true of almost any group or race.

I do think the indians had a better grasp of taking care of the land than the white man.

When my husband's family came from europe they looked for the heaviest wooded acreage they could find and enjoyed the cutting of the trees as this was not available to them in europe.They just kept cutting and gave no thought to replanting

The tribe of Ojibwe took and controlled more land than any other tribe.Their tribes were spread out over several states.

They took land from the sioux and forced them out of MN altogether.

They scalped their enemies and there was ritual cannibalism of their dead enemies.

This was not a peaceful,tranquil land until the white man spoiled it.

They envied,they fought and killed for what they wanted

[rudywoofs (Pam)]

Most of the Pacific Northwest tribes were peaceful tribes.

[bonnie]

Most of the Pacific Northwest tribes were peaceful tribes.

Not sure of the history in that area but the Ojibwe and sioux were at war with each other well over a hundred years. The Ojibwe won the land and kept pushing into other area's.

Not a peaceful group

[rudywoofs (Pam)]

I know some about that from reading history. Some of my ancestors were scalped by the Iroquois tribes and others taken captive.. but that was further east than the Ojibwe and Sioux ventured, I think.

[bonnie]

I know some about that from reading history. Some of my ancestors were scalped by the Iroquois tribes and others taken captive.. but that was further east than the Ojibwe and Sioux ventured, I think.

Found this.....http://www.oregonpioneers.com/indian8.htm

Northwest Indian Wars

Tribe vs Tribe: Indian wars were commonplace between the nations. In western Oregon, these wars usually consisted of raids by the men of one village on the people of another village. Although some of the raids were to get slaves, the majority of the raids were because of petty disputes.

In eastern Oregon, warfare was more constant and more dangerous. The Paiutes and Bannocks pressed against the Nez Perce, Cayuse, Umatillas, Klamaths, Modocs and Warm Springs Indians. There was constant conflict in the territory as the tribes competed for hunting grounds, and additional wealth in the form of horses and slaves. The coming of the white man added to this turmoil.

During the settling of the Oregon country there occurred many confrontations between the Native Americans and the white settlers. The blame for overt acts did not rest with one side alone. In some cases they were caused by misunderstandings due to the unfamiliar customs of each side and in others they were created by hot-bloods from both sides, who were either seeking revenge for unnamed provocations or were hoping to make themselves heros. The addition of liquor aggravated the situation for both sides.

[rudywoofs (Pam)]

Thanks Bonnie!!!! That was information I hadn't known before!!!! I wonder what years that covered.... when my ancestors came over the Oregon Trail in 1845 and settled in Oregon Terrritory, there was some tension in the eastern section with the Whitman massacre occurring. They had no trouble with the western tribes, though.

[bonnie]

I don't think there is any doubt that the Indians had a much better grasp of being "stewards of the earth".I suspect a lot of that came from living directly off the land. They would have had their drought's etc and understood that there was not always a never ending supply.

My husbands family deliberately settled in the most heavily wooded area's they could find. Even if the clearing of the land was a back breaker they never wanted to be without wood again. They cut with a vengence just because they could,not understanding the damage they were doing

But I don't think it was this tranquil place where they walked hand in hand thru the prairie grass visiting other tribes.

The way the white man treated the Indians was horrendous,but so was the way they treated one another.

[bonnie]

Thanks Bonnie!!!! That was information I hadn't known before!!!! I wonder what years that covered.... when my ancestors came over the Oregon Trail in 1845 and settled in Oregon Terrritory, there was some tension in the eastern section with the Whitman massacre occurring. They had no trouble with the western tribes, though.

The rest of the article refers to 1827-1847

[rudywoofs (Pam)]

By the time of the late 1800's I know some of the NW tribes were peaceful. My great grandfather was the first Methodist circuit rider to the Yakima Indians of the Oregon territory (now Washington)..

[bonnie]

By the time of the late 1800's I know some of the NW tribes were peaceful. My great grandfather was the first Methodist circuit rider to the Yakima Indians of the Oregon territory (now Washington)..

I am sure there were. I know there were peaceful tribes prior to that,but that was not all tribes or only after the white man came.

They operated under the same cruelty the human race has always done. "If I am bigger and stronger than you,I will take what I want"

There isn't any denying or defending what the white man did,but at the same time they were doing what the Indians had done before they arrived.

There simply is no denying tho that the Indians had a regard for the earth and what they took from it

[rudywoofs (Pam)]

That's true about the white man. And the Indians as well...

Many of the Indian tribes around here now have casinos, and I'm sure laugh all the way to the bank.

[bonnie]

That's true about the white man. And the Indians as well...

Many of the Indian tribes around here now have casinos, and I'm sure laugh all the way to the bank.

We have several casinos here. They are always full and yet it doesn't seem to have improved their living conditions

[phkrause]

Some interesting info Bonnie and rudywoofs. I wonder it all the fighting among all the Indian tribes didn't startup because of the white man taking away there land at first, and than the Indians starting fighting amongst each other?

pk

[bonnie]

Some interesting info Bonnie and rudywoofs. I wonder it all the fighting among all the Indian tribes didn't startup because of the white man taking away there land at first, and than the Indians starting fighting amongst each other?

pk

[Amelia]

http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h1008.html

[rudywoofs (Pam)]

Thanks Amelia!!! Looks like the entire nation has had their share of Indian wars.

[bonnie]

Thanks Amelia!!! Looks like the entire nation has had their share of Indian wars.