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We did not know there were other people besides the Indian until about one hundred winters ago, when some men with white faces came to our country.
Chief Joseph
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Chief Joseph
Age: 64 †
Born: 1840
Born: March 3
Died: 1904
Died: September 21
Tribal Chief
Wallowa Valley
Joseph Buruzagia
Hin-mut-too-uah-lat-kekht
Thunder Rolling in the Mountains
Heinmot Tooyalaket
Joseph the Younger
Came
Faces
White
Country
Winters
Men
Besides
People
Indian
Winter
Hundred
More quotes by Chief Joseph
The first white men of your people who came to our country were named Lewis and Clark.
Chief Joseph
The earth is our mother. She should not be disturbed by hoe or plough. We want only to subsist on what she freely gives us.
Chief Joseph
I have asked some of the great white chiefs where they get their authority to say to the Indian that he shall stay in one place, while he sees white men going where they please. They cannot tell me.
Chief Joseph
We gave up some of our country to the white men, thinking that then we could have peace. We were mistaken. The white man would not let us alone.
Chief Joseph
I hope that no more groans of wounded men and women will ever go to the ear of the Great Spirit Chief above, and that all people may be one people.
Chief Joseph
It takes few words to tell the truth.
Chief Joseph
Our fathers gave us many laws which they had learned from their fathers. These laws were good.
Chief Joseph
Big name often stands on small legs.
Chief Joseph
I am tired of talk that comes to nothing It makes my heart sick when I remember all the good words and all the broken promises. There has been too much talking by men who had no right to talk. It does not require many words to speak the truth.
Chief Joseph
Let me be a free man - free to travel, free to stop, free to work.
Chief Joseph
I would have given my own life if I could have undone the killing of white men by my people.
Chief Joseph
The earth is the mother of all people, and all people should have equal rights upon it.
Chief Joseph
I pressed my father's hand and told him I would protect his grave with my life. My father smiled and passed away to the spirit land.
Chief Joseph
General Howard informed me, in a haughty spirit, that he would give my people 30 days to go back home, collect all their stock, and move onto the reservation.
Chief Joseph
I saw that the war could not be prevented. The time had passed.
Chief Joseph
If the white man wants to live in peace with the Indian he can live in peace.
Chief Joseph
Our chiefs are killed. . . . The little children are freezing to death. . . . My people have no blankets, no food. . . . My heart is sick and sad. . . . I will fight no more forever.
Chief Joseph
I believe much trouble would be saved if we opened our hearts more.
Chief Joseph
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.
Chief Joseph
Look twice at a two-faced man.
Chief Joseph
