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My people were divided about surrendering.
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
Surrendering
Divided
People
More quotes by Chief Joseph
I do not believe that the Great Spirit Chief gave one kind of men the right to tell another kind of men what they must do.
Chief Joseph
You might as well expect rivers to run backwards as any man born free to be contented penned up.
Chief Joseph
It makes my heart sick when I remember all the good words and the broken promises.
Chief Joseph
When my young men began the killing, my heart was hurt.
Chief Joseph
I would have given my own life if I could have undone the killing of white men by my people.
Chief Joseph
I will speak with a straight tongue.
Chief Joseph
We do not want churches because they will teach us to quarrel about God. We do not want to learn that. We may quarrel with men sometimes about things on this earth, but we never quarrel about the Great Spirit. We do not want to learn that.
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
I am tired of talk that comes to nothing.
Chief Joseph
A man who would not love his father's grave is worse than a wild animal.
Chief Joseph
We gathered all the stock we could find, and made an attempt to move. We left many of our horses and cattle in Wallowa. We lost several hundred in crossing the river.
Chief Joseph
We damaged all the big guns we could, and carried away the powder and the lead.
Chief Joseph
We were taught to believe that the Great Spirit sees and hears everything, and that he never forgets that hereafter he will give every man a spirit-home according to his deserts: if he has been a good man, he will have a good home if he has been a bad man, he will have a bad home. This I believe, and all my people believe the same.
Chief Joseph
I only ask of the Government to be treated as all other men are treated. If I cannot go to my own home, let me have a home in a country where my people will not die so fast.
Chief Joseph
Some of you think an Indian is like a wild animal. This is a great mistake.
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
Big name often stands on small legs.
Chief Joseph
I know that my race must change.
Chief Joseph
We were like deer. They were like grizzly bear.
Chief Joseph
Cursed be he that scalps the reputation of the dead.
Chief Joseph