Chief Joseph
Chief Joseph
Hin-mah-too-yah-lat-kekt, Hinmatóowyalahtq̓it in Americanist orthography, popularly known as Chief Joseph or Young Joseph, succeeded his father Tuekakasas the leader of the Wal-lam-wat-kainband of Nez Perce, a Native American tribe indigenous to the Wallowa Valley in northeastern Oregon, in the interior Pacific Northwest region of the United States...
ProfessionWar Hero
Date of Birth3 March 1840
CityWallowa River, OR
moving home people
General Howard informed me, in a haughty spirit, that he would give my people 30 days to go back home, collect all their stock, and move onto the reservation.
country lawyer chiefs
A chief called Lawyer, because he was a great talker, took the lead in the council, and sold nearly all the Nez Perce country.
rivers mountain suits
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.
brother war white
We had good white friends who advised us against taking the war path. My friend and brother, Mr. Chapman, told us just how the war would end.
native-american grizzly-bears deer
We were like deer. They were like grizzly bear.
men white-man land
For a short time we lived quietly. But this could not last. White men had found gold in the mountains around the land of winding water.
gun bigs powder
We damaged all the big guns we could, and carried away the powder and the lead.
country men thinking
We gave up some of our country to the white men, thinking that then we could have peace. We were mistaken. The white man would not let us alone.
mother giving hoe
The earth is our mother. She should not be disturbed by hoe or plough. We want only to subsist on what she freely gives us.
religion church want
We do not want churches. They will teach us to quarrel about God.
tired broken-promises american-indian
I am tired of talk that comes to nothing.
men brave coward
An Indian respects a brave man, but he despises a coward.
trouble bloodshed hard
I labored hard to avoid trouble and bloodshed.
morning fall hunting
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.