Chief Seattle

This is the story of Chief Seattle, a very intelligent Indian who realized the plight of the red man. When the Great White Father's son requested that the Indians sell them their land and move to a reservation, Chief Seattle made this thoughtful speech to his Indian brothers:

It was a sad day for the Indians now that the greatness of the Indian tribes was gone, and things that were plentiful were no more. He hoped that there would be no more wars between the Indians and their white brothers but the white man's God did not love them and they were discriminated against. If this God liked them, he would protect and take care of them. Seattle wondered how they could be brothers with the white man when they are two different races with different customs. The white man has not respect for the land of their forefathers, while it is sacred to the Indians. It is sacred, too, for the dead and they never forget and return from time to time to console them.

He believed that the white man's religion was written by an angry God, and the red man cannot remember or understand it. He felt that the earth was their mother along with the great mountains and valleys. He felt that it was the time of great sadness in which there were no great shining stars. The great tribes that once lived on the land now live in small bands in the woods. He felt that all things are hold on the land, and the red man and memories of the forefathers still watch over them.

Chief Seattle concluded his speech by saying that they would be watching the white man to see how things turned out. Hopefully, the Indians would be treated with honesty and justice because the dead forefathers still had power to watch them.