Quote

My father... had sharper eyes than the rest of our people.

Chief Joseph

Change background

T
T
T

Change font

TAGS & TOPICS

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
Eyes
Eye
Father
People
Sharper
Rest

More quotes by Chief Joseph

Image
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
Image
A man who would not love his father's grave is worse than a wild animal.
Chief Joseph
Image
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
Image
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
Image
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
Image
I saw clearly that war was upon us when I learned that my young men had been secretly buying ammunition.
Chief Joseph
Image
Our fathers gave us many laws which they had learned from their fathers. These laws were good.
Chief Joseph
Image
When the last deer disappears into the morning mist, When the last elk vanishes from the hills, When the last buffalo falls on the plains, I will hunt mice for I am a hunter and I must have my freedom.
Chief Joseph
Image
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
Image
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
Image
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
Image
We were like deer. They were like grizzly bear.
Chief Joseph
Image
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
Image
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
Image
I did not want my people killed. I did not want bloodshed.
Chief Joseph
Image
I know that my race must change.
Chief Joseph
Image
You might as well expect rivers to run backwards as any man born free to be contented penned up.
Chief Joseph
Image
I believe much trouble would be saved if we opened our hearts more.
Chief Joseph
Image
The first white men of your people who came to our country were named Lewis and Clark.
Chief Joseph
Image
We were contented to let things remain as the Great Spirit Chief made them. They were not and would change the rivers and mountains if they did not suit them.
Chief Joseph