Quotes by Lakotan Authors

"If we must die, we die defending our rights."

"If we must die, we die defending our rights."

Sitting Bull, Lakotan Statesman

Rights,

62

"When I was a boy, the Sioux owned the world. The sun rose and set on their land; they sent ten thousand men to battle. Where are the warriors today? Who slew them? Where are our lands? Who owns them?"

"When I was a boy, the Sioux owned the world. The sun rose and set on their land; they sent ten thousand men to battle. Where are the warriors today? Who slew them? Where are our lands? Who owns them?"

Sitting Bull, Lakotan Statesman

Man, Men, Battle, Land, Sun

62

"I wish it to be remembered that I was the last man of my tribe to surrender my rifle."

"I wish it to be remembered that I was the last man of my tribe to surrender my rifle."

Sitting Bull, Lakotan Statesman

Man, Surrender

35

"What white man can say I never stole his land or a penny of his money? Yet they say that I am a thief."

"What white man can say I never stole his land or a penny of his money? Yet they say that I am a thief."

Sitting Bull, Lakotan Statesman

Money, Land, Man

32

"I was very sorry when I found out that your intentions were good and not what I supposed they were."

"I was very sorry when I found out that your intentions were good and not what I supposed they were."

Sitting Bull, Lakotan Statesman

Misunderstanding, Intentions

32

"They claim this mother of ours, the Earth, for their own use, and fence their neighbors away from her, and deface her with their buildings and their refuse."

"They claim this mother of ours, the Earth, for their own use, and fence their neighbors away from her, and deface her with their buildings and their refuse."

Sitting Bull, Lakotan Statesman

Family, Mother, Earth, Neighbors

32

"Is it wrong for me to love my own? Is it wicked for me because my skin is red? Because I am Sioux? Because I was born where my father lived? Because I would die for my people and my country?"

"Is it wrong for me to love my own? Is it wicked for me because my skin is red? Because I am Sioux? Because I was born where my father lived? Because I would die for my people and my country?"

Sitting Bull, Lakotan Statesman

Love, Father, People, Country

31

"God made me an Indian."

Sitting Bull, Lakotan Statesman

God,

31

"What white man has ever seen me drunk? Who has ever come to me hungry and left me unfed? Who has seen me beat my wives or abuse my children? What law have I broken?"

"What white man has ever seen me drunk? Who has ever come to me hungry and left me unfed? Who has seen me beat my wives or abuse my children? What law have I broken?"

Sitting Bull, Lakotan Statesman

Abuse, Children, Law, Man

30

"Behold, my friends, the spring is come; the earth has gladly received the embraces of the sun, and we shall soon see the results of their love!"

"Behold, my friends, the spring is come; the earth has gladly received the embraces of the sun, and we shall soon see the results of their love!"

Sitting Bull, Lakotan Statesman

Friendship, Earth, Friends, Results, Spring

29

"Every seed is awakened, and all animal life."

"Every seed is awakened, and all animal life."

Sitting Bull, Lakotan Statesman

Life,

29

"The white man knows how to make everything, but he does not know how to distribute it."

"The white man knows how to make everything, but he does not know how to distribute it."

Sitting Bull, Lakotan Statesman

Man,

28

"I am a red man. If the Great Spirit had desired me to be a white man he would have made me so in the first place."

"I am a red man. If the Great Spirit had desired me to be a white man he would have made me so in the first place."

Sitting Bull, Lakotan Statesman

Identity, First, Man, Spirit

27

"The earth has received the embrace of the sun and we shall see the results of that love."

"The earth has received the embrace of the sun and we shall see the results of that love."

Sitting Bull, Lakotan Statesman

Love, Earth, Results, Sun

27

"Strangely enough, they have a mind to till the soil, and the love of possessions is a disease in them."

"Strangely enough, they have a mind to till the soil, and the love of possessions is a disease in them."

Sitting Bull, Lakotan Statesman

Love, Disease, Mind, Possessions

26

"Let us put our minds together and see what life we can make for our children."

"Let us put our minds together and see what life we can make for our children."

Sitting Bull, Lakotan Statesman

Life, Children

26

"What treaty that the whites have kept has the red man broken? Not one."

"What treaty that the whites have kept has the red man broken? Not one."

Sitting Bull, Lakotan Statesman

Man,

26

"What white woman, however lonely, was ever captive or insulted by me? Yet they say I am a bad Indian."

"What white woman, however lonely, was ever captive or insulted by me? Yet they say I am a bad Indian."

Sitting Bull, Lakotan Statesman

Conflict, Lonely, Woman

25

"Each man is good in His sight. It is not necessary for eagles to be crows."

"Each man is good in His sight. It is not necessary for eagles to be crows."

Sitting Bull, Lakotan Statesman

Identity, Crows, Eagles, Man, Sight

24

"He put in your heart certain wishes and plans; in my heart, he put other different desires."

"He put in your heart certain wishes and plans; in my heart, he put other different desires."

Sitting Bull, Lakotan Statesman

Heart, Wishes

24

"This nation is like a spring freshet; it overruns its banks and destroys all who are in its path."

"This nation is like a spring freshet; it overruns its banks and destroys all who are in its path."

Sitting Bull, Lakotan Statesman

Conflict, Banks, Nation, Spring

23

"Therefore, I do not wish to consider any proposition to cede any portion of our tribal holdings to the Great Father."

"Therefore, I do not wish to consider any proposition to cede any portion of our tribal holdings to the Great Father."

Sitting Bull, Lakotan Statesman

Family, Father

23

"It is not necessary for eagles to be crows."

"It is not necessary for eagles to be crows."

Sitting Bull, Lakotan Statesman

Identity, Crows, Eagles

22

"If the Great Spirit had desired me to be a white man, he would have made me so in the first place."

"If the Great Spirit had desired me to be a white man, he would have made me so in the first place."

Sitting Bull, Lakotan Statesman

Identity, First, Man, Spirit

22

"There are things they tell us that sound good to hear, but when they have accomplished their purpose they will go home and will not try to fulfill our agreements with them."

"There are things they tell us that sound good to hear, but when they have accomplished their purpose they will go home and will not try to fulfill our agreements with them."

Sitting Bull, Lakotan Statesman

Home, Purpose, Sound, Will

21

"Now that we are poor, we are free. No white man controls our footsteps."

"Now that we are poor, we are free. No white man controls our footsteps."

Sitting Bull, Lakotan Statesman

Freedom, Footsteps, Man, Now, Poor

21

"It is through this mysterious power that we too have our being, and we therefore yield to our neighbors, even to our animal neighbors, the same right as ourselves to inhabit this vast land."

"It is through this mysterious power that we too have our being, and we therefore yield to our neighbors, even to our animal neighbors, the same right as ourselves to inhabit this vast land."

Sitting Bull, Lakotan Statesman

Power, Being, Land, Neighbors

19

"You think I am a fool, but you are a greater fool than I am."

"You think I am a fool, but you are a greater fool than I am."

Sitting Bull, Lakotan Statesman

Fool,

17

"They want us to give up another chunk of our tribal land. This is not the first time or the last time."

"They want us to give up another chunk of our tribal land. This is not the first time or the last time."

Sitting Bull, Lakotan Statesman

Time, First, Land, Want

17

"If I agree to dispose of any part of our land to the white people I would feel guilty of taking food away from our children's mouths, and I do not wish to be that mean."

"If I agree to dispose of any part of our land to the white people I would feel guilty of taking food away from our children's mouths, and I do not wish to be that mean."

Sitting Bull, Lakotan Statesman

Food, People, Children, Land

17

"I am here by the will of the Great Spirit, and by his will I am chief."

"I am here by the will of the Great Spirit, and by his will I am chief."

Sitting Bull, Lakotan Statesman

Spirit, Will

15

"Each man is good in the sight of the Great Spirit."

"Each man is good in the sight of the Great Spirit."

Sitting Bull, Lakotan Statesman

Man, Sight, Spirit

15

"I want to tell you that if the Great Spirit had chosen anyone to be the chief of this country, it is myself."

"I want to tell you that if the Great Spirit had chosen anyone to be the chief of this country, it is myself."

Sitting Bull, Lakotan Statesman

Nation, Country, Spirit, Want

Quotes by Lakotan Authors

"If we must die, we die defending our rights."

62

"When I was a boy, the Sioux owned the world. The sun rose and set on their land; they sent ten thousand men to battle. Where are the warriors today? Who slew them? Where are our lands? Who owns them?"

62

"I wish it to be remembered that I was the last man of my tribe to surrender my rifle."

35

"What white man can say I never stole his land or a penny of his money? Yet they say that I am a thief."

32

"I was very sorry when I found out that your intentions were good and not what I supposed they were."

32

"They claim this mother of ours, the Earth, for their own use, and fence their neighbors away from her, and deface her with their buildings and their refuse."

32

"Is it wrong for me to love my own? Is it wicked for me because my skin is red? Because I am Sioux? Because I was born where my father lived? Because I would die for my people and my country?"

31

"God made me an Indian."

31

"What white man has ever seen me drunk? Who has ever come to me hungry and left me unfed? Who has seen me beat my wives or abuse my children? What law have I broken?"

30

"Behold, my friends, the spring is come; the earth has gladly received the embraces of the sun, and we shall soon see the results of their love!"

29

"Every seed is awakened, and all animal life."

29

"The white man knows how to make everything, but he does not know how to distribute it."

28

"I am a red man. If the Great Spirit had desired me to be a white man he would have made me so in the first place."

27

"The earth has received the embrace of the sun and we shall see the results of that love."

27

"Strangely enough, they have a mind to till the soil, and the love of possessions is a disease in them."

26

"Let us put our minds together and see what life we can make for our children."

26

"What treaty that the whites have kept has the red man broken? Not one."

26

"What white woman, however lonely, was ever captive or insulted by me? Yet they say I am a bad Indian."

25

"Each man is good in His sight. It is not necessary for eagles to be crows."

24

"He put in your heart certain wishes and plans; in my heart, he put other different desires."

24

"This nation is like a spring freshet; it overruns its banks and destroys all who are in its path."

23

"Therefore, I do not wish to consider any proposition to cede any portion of our tribal holdings to the Great Father."

23

"It is not necessary for eagles to be crows."

22

"If the Great Spirit had desired me to be a white man, he would have made me so in the first place."

22

"There are things they tell us that sound good to hear, but when they have accomplished their purpose they will go home and will not try to fulfill our agreements with them."

21

"Now that we are poor, we are free. No white man controls our footsteps."

21

"It is through this mysterious power that we too have our being, and we therefore yield to our neighbors, even to our animal neighbors, the same right as ourselves to inhabit this vast land."

19

"You think I am a fool, but you are a greater fool than I am."

17

"They want us to give up another chunk of our tribal land. This is not the first time or the last time."

17

"If I agree to dispose of any part of our land to the white people I would feel guilty of taking food away from our children's mouths, and I do not wish to be that mean."

17

"I am here by the will of the Great Spirit, and by his will I am chief."

15

"Each man is good in the sight of the Great Spirit."

15

"I want to tell you that if the Great Spirit had chosen anyone to be the chief of this country, it is myself."

14