Best Chief Joseph Quotes

• I will fight no more forever.
• Treat all men alike. Give them all the same law. Give them all an even chance to live and grow.
• The Earth and myself are of one mind.
• We were taught to believe that the Great Spirit sees and hears everything, and that He never forgets.
• Good words do not last long until they amount to something.
• I believe much trouble and blood would be saved if we opened our hearts more.
• It does not require many words to speak the truth.
• Hear me, my chiefs! I am tired. My heart is sick and sad. From where the sun now stands, I will fight no more forever.
• My father, you have made promises to me, and I have kept them. Your promises to me are broken, but not my promises to you.
• I am tired of fighting. Our chiefs are killed. Looking Glass is dead. Toohoolhoolzote is dead. The old men are all dead.
• I mourn with you for the dead.
• The Earth is the mother of all people, and all people should have equal rights upon it.
• Our fathers gave us many laws, which they had learned from their fathers.
• Whatever else I may have done, I have always communicated to my tribes by speech and signs.
• I have tried to teach my children that there is no difference between the white and the red in their hearts, and that if one goes down, the other also goes down.
• If the white man wants to live in peace with the Indian, he can live in peace.

Best Quotes from Chief Joseph

• I have been a prisoner and lived with the white man, but I have never seen a white man who is as good as an Indian.
• A man who would not love his father’s grave is worse than a wild animal.
• I am going to die, but my words will live as long as there are horses upon these plains.
• The teachings of the white men have not washed away from our hearts the red man’s great respect for the Star and Moon.
• I do not want to be shut out from the light. My longing to go to the sunlight is so great.
• It makes my heart sick when I remember all the good words and all the broken promises.
• The Government promised to build us a road and as soon as it was begun, took it away, and built it somewhere else.
• Treat all men alike.
• The white people who are trying to make us over into their image, they want us to be what they call ‘assimilated,’ bringing the Indian into the mainstream and destroying our own way of life and our own cultural patterns.
• The earth is the mother of all people, and all people should have equal rights upon it.
• The way, the only way to stop this killing and this war, is all you young men.
• Let me be a free man—free to travel, free to stop, free to work, free to trade where I choose, free to choose my own teachers, free to follow the religion of my fathers, free to think and talk and act for myself.
• It is much easier to give advice than to set a good example.
• The white man does not understand the Indian for the reason that he does not understand America.

Inspiration Sayings from Chief Joseph

• Our chiefs are killed. Looking Glass is dead. Toohoolhoolzote is dead. The old men are all dead.
• Our fathers gave us many laws, which they had learned from their fathers.
• The past is gone and cannot be changed. The future is yet in your power.
• Whenever the white man treats the Indian as they treat each other, then we shall have no more wars.
• It requires a thousand voices to tell a single story.
• From where the sun now stands, I will fight no more forever.
• Treat all men alike. Give them the same laws. Give them all an even chance to live and grow.
• If you do not talk to them, you will not know them, and what you do not know, you will fear.
• All men were made by the same Great Spirit Chief. They are all brothers.
• Good words do not last long unless they amount to something. Words do not pay for my dead people.
• It is the fault of the white man’s government that treats us so badly.
• I have carried a heavy load on my back ever since I was a boy. I realized then that we could not hold our own with the white men.
• I am tired of fighting. Our chiefs are killed. Looking Glass is dead. Too-hul-hul-sote is dead. The old men are all dead.
• We have a religion that was given to our ancestors, and has been handed down to us through our forefathers.
• There is no word for goodbye in the Nez Perce language. It is not in our culture to say goodbye.

FAQ Best Chief Joseph Quotes

What did Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce say about his freedom to live and govern his own land?

Chief Joseph asserted his right to live freely on his land, expressing a deep affection for the land that he believed was rightfully his. He emphasized that he never claimed the land belonged to anyone but his people, underlining his and his tribe’s inherent right to dispose of their land as they saw fit.

How did Chief Joseph articulate his relationship with the broader concept of governance and territory in his speeches?

Chief Joseph spoke of the unity of the land, stating that there is one sky above us and one country around us, governed by one government. This reflects his view of a shared existence and mutual respect needed among different peoples, even in the face of personal and tribal sovereignty.

During the Nez Perce War, how did Chief Joseph express his expectations of fairness and equality from the U.S. government?

Chief Joseph, in his pleas for justice, expressed that while he and his people were free to talk, think, and act, they were also expected to obey every law or submit to the penalty without special privilege. This highlights his understanding of the laws applied to him and his people and his expectation for equal treatment under those laws.

What was the significance of Chief Joseph’s reference to the “great white chiefs” in his speeches?

When referring to the “great white chiefs,” Chief Joseph addressed the leaders of the U.S. government, invoking their higher responsibility to ensure justice and fairness. His use of this term underscored his recognition of their power and his hope that they would act with integrity towards the Nez Perce.

How did Chief Joseph convey the impact of the Nez Perce War on his people?

Chief Joseph poignantly noted that the groans of wounded men and women would ever go to the ear of the Great Spirit Chief who rules above, emphasizing the deep suffering his people endured. This statement is a powerful reminder of the human cost of the conflict and his appeal to a higher justice.

In his advocacy for his tribe, how did Chief Joseph use the concept of shared humanity?

Chief Joseph emphasized that all people are brothers of one father, highlighting a shared humanity and a collective spiritual heritage. This philosophical view served as a plea for compassion and understanding from the U.S. government and the American people.

What message did Chief Joseph try to convey about the promises and words given to him and his tribe?

Chief Joseph lamented that good words will not give me back my children or restore my people. He expressed skepticism about the promises made by the U.S. authorities, reflecting his disappointment and mistrust after the repeated betrayals his people faced.