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
men asks
We ask to be recognized as men.
men law asks
We ask only that the law shall work alike on all men.
people earth way
All people should be treated the same way on earth.
tongue speak
I will speak with a straight tongue.
native-american law great-american
I will obey every law, or submit to the penalty.
people divided
My people were divided about surrendering.
native-american men white-man
If the white man wants to live in peace with the Indianwe can live in peace. There need be no trouble. Treat all men alike. give them all the same law. Give them all an even chance to live and grow.
race knows
I know that my race must change.
lying men white-man
The white men told lies for each other. They drove off a great many of our cattle. Some branded our young cattle so they could claim them.
father men white-man
My father was the first to see through the schemes of the white man.
war men buying
I saw clearly that war was upon us when I learned that my young men had been secretly buying ammunition.
war saws
I saw that the war could not be prevented. The time had passed.
men white-man people
I would have given my own life if I could have undone the killing of white men by my people.
country band lawyer
Lawyer acted without authority from our band. He had no right to sell the Wallowa country.