ALL LIFE IS EQUAL

ALL LIFE IS EQUAL

"ANOTHER OF THE NATURAL LAWS IS THAT ALL LIFE IS EQUAL. THAT'S OUR PHILOSOPHY. YOU HAVE TO RESPECT LIFE - ALL LIFE,
NOT JUST YOUR OWN. THE KEY WORD IS "RESPECT." UNLESS YOU RESPECT ALL LIFE AS MUCH AS YOUR OWN LIFE, YOU BECOME A DESTROYER, A MURDERER.

Oren Lyons ~ Onondaga

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THE GREATEST STRENGTH

"I MYSELF HAVE NO POWER. IT'S THE PEOPLE BEHIND ME WHO HAVE THE POWER. REAL POWER COMES ONLY FROM THE CREATOR. IT'S IN
HIS HANDS. BUT IF YOU'RE ASKING ABOUT STRENGTH, NOT POWER,
THEN I CAN SAY THAT THE GREATEST STRENGTH IS GENTLENESS."

"I AM WORKING FOR THE CREATION. I REFUSE TO TAKE PART IN IT'S DESTRUCTION."

"THESE ARE OUR TIMES AND OUR RESPONSIBLITIES. EVERY HUMAN BEING HAS A SACRED DUTY TO PROTECT THE WELFARE OF OUR MOTHER EARTH, FROM WHOM ALL LIFE COMES. IN ORDER TO DO THIS WE MUST RECOGNIZE THE ENEMY - THE ONE WITHIN US. WE MUST BEGIN WITH
OURSELVES...."

Leon Shenandoah ~ Six Nations Confederacy

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THE SOUND IS FADING AWAY
IT IS OF FIVE SOUNDS
FREEDOM
THE SOUND IS FADING AWAY
IT IS OF FIVE SOUNDS

Chippewa song

~~~~

...I AM POOR AND NAKED, BUT I AM THE CHIEF OF THE
NATION. WE DO NOT WANT RICHES BUT WE DO WANT TO TRAIN OUR CHILDREN RIGHT. RICHES WOULD DO US NO GOOD. WE COULD NOT TAKE THEM WITH US TO THE OTHER
WORLD. WE DO NOT WANT RICHES. WE WANT PEACE AND LOVE.

Red Cloud (Makhpiya-luta) Sioux Chief

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THE OUTLINE OF THE STONE IS ROUND,
HAVING NO END AND NO BEGINNING:
LIKE THE POWER OF THE STONE
IT IS ENDLESS. THE STONE IS PERFECT IN ITS KIND
AND IS THE WORK OF NATURE,
NO ARTIFICIAL MEANS BEING USED IN SHAPING IT.
OUTWARDLY IT IS NOT BEAUTIFUL,
BUT ITS STRUCTURE IS SOLID,
LIKE A SOLID HOUSE IN WHICH ONE MAY SAFELY DWELL.

Chased-by-Bears Santee-Yanton Sioux

~~~~

WHEN I WAS A YOUNG MAN I WENT TO A MEDICINE-MAN
FOR ADVICE CONCERNING MY FUTURE. THE MEDICINE-MAN
SAID: "I HAVE NOT MUCH TO TELL YOU EXCEPT TO HELP
YOU UNDERSTAND THIS EARTH ON WHICH YOU LIVE. IF A
MAN IS TO SUCCEED ON THE HUNT OR THE WARPATH, HE
MUST NOT BE GOVERNED BY HIS INCLINATION, BUT BY AN
UNDERSTANDING OF THE WAYS OF THE ANIMALS AND OF HIS
NATURAL SURROUNDINGS, GAINED THROUGH CLOSE OBSERVATION.
THE EARTH IS LARGE, AND ON IT LIVE MANY ANIMALS. THE
EARTH IS UNDER THE PROTECTION OF SOMETHING WHICH AT
TIMES BECOMES VISIBLE TO THE EYE."

Lone Man (Isna la wica) Teton Sioux

~~~~

GREAT SPIRIT, GREAT SPIRIT, MY GRANDFATHER, ALL OVER
THE EARTH THE FACES OF LIVING THINGS ARE ALL ALIKE...
LOOK UPON THESE FACES OF CHILDREN WITHOUT NUMBER AND
WITH CHILDREN IN THEIR ARMS, THAT THEY MAY FACE THE WINDS AND WALK THE GOOD ROAD TO THE DAY OF QUIET.

Black Elk Oglala Sioux holy man

PEACE AND MAY WE ALL WALK IN BEAUTY ALWAYS
HUM CHI
TARA