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
mother native-american rights
The earth is the mother of all people, and all people should have equal rights upon it.
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.
mother children father
I am ready to talk today. I have been in a great many councils, but I am no wiser. We are all sprung from a woman, although we are unlike in many things. We can not be made over again. You are as you were made, and as you were made you can remain. We are just as we were made by the Great Spirit, and you can not change us ; then why should children of one mother and one father quarrel ? — why should one try to cheat the other ? I do not believe that the Great Spirit Chief gave one kind of men the right to tell another kind of men what they must do.
people earth way
All people should be treated the same way on earth.
men law asks
We ask only that the law shall work alike on all men.
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.
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.
fighting indian
When an Indian fights, he only shoots to kill.