Chief Seattle

I came across this speech while hanging out with some friends, shooting the breeze over some great libations...I read the speech aloud to those in the "crowd", what an experience. Here is the speech in its entirely; quite a powerful piece if you ask me.


" We heard from your President back in Washington that he wants to buy our land but how can you buy and sell the sky, the land, the idea is strange to us. Every shiny pine needle, every sandy shore, every mist in the dark woods, every meadow are all holy in the remembrance of my people. We are part of the earth and it is part of us. The perfumed flowers these are our sisters, the bear, the deer, the eagle, these are our brothers. Each ghostly reflection in the clear waters of the lake talk of the experience and memories of my people. The waters murmur with the voice of my grandfather's father. The rivers, these our brothers, they carry our canoes and feed our children. If you buy our land, know that the air is precious to us, that the air shares its spirit with all the life its supports. The wind that gave my great grandfather his first breath, also received his last sigh. This we know, man does not own the earth, man belonged to the earth. All things are connected like the blood that binds us together. Man did not create the web of life he's simply a strand in it. What he does to the web he does to himself. Your destiny is a mystery to us. What will happen when all of the buffalo are slaughtered? What will happen when all of the secret corners of the forest are heavy with the scent of many men and the view of the ripe hills is blotted by talking wires? It's the end of living and the beginning of survival when the last red man and his wilderness are gone and their memory is only a cloud flying over the prairie. Will there be any memory of my people left? We love this land like a newborn loves its mother's heartbeat so if you buy 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 when you receive it and preserve it for all children. Love the land the way God loves you because this we know there is only one God and no man be he red or white man can stand alone because we're brothers after all" - Chief Seattle, 1854