"Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better."

---- Albert Einstein

"Come into my heart this morning. Allow me this day to live in the now. Help me to see all the beauty You have created in all things. Let me know myself. Today, as I make mistakes, let me see them as lessons. Guide me.

When I see others make mistakes, let me honor them for where they are. Let me realize that they are Your children and only You, my Grandfather, knows what is really going on. When my lips move, let the words be Your words."

---- Elly Blue Ridge

"May the warm winds of Heaven blow softly on your home,
And the Great Spirit bless all who enter there.
May your mocassins make happy tracks in many snows,
And may the rainbow always touch your shoulder."

---- Cherokee Blessing

"n order for us to use our power well, we must become a hollow bone. We must prepare ourselves to become a channel. Our channel must be clean before we can use our power well. We must be free of resentments, guilt, shame, anger, self pity, and fear.

If these things are in us, we cannot be hollow bones. These things block us from our power. The cleaner we are, the more power we move. We must become a hollow bone so the Creator can use us to do what he wants us to do."

---- Elly Blue Ridge

"When I was young I walked all over this country, east and west, and saw no other people than the Apaches. After many summers I walked again and found another race of people had come to take it. How is it?

We were once a large people covering these mountains. We lived well: we were at peace. One day my best friend was seized by an officer of the white men and treacherously killed. At last your soldiers did me a very great wrong, and I and my people went to war with them.

The worst place of all is Apache Pass. There my brother and nephews were murdered. Their bodies were hung up and kept there till they were skeletons. Now Americans and Mexicans kill an Apache on sight. I have retaliated with all my might.

My people have killed Americans and Mexicans and taken their property. Their losses have been greater than mine. I have killed ten white men for every Indian slain, but I know that the whites are many and the Indians are few. Apaches are growing less every day.

Why is it that the Apaches wait to die -- That they carry their lives on their fingernails? They roam over the hills and plains and want the heavens to fall on them. The Apaches were once a great nation; they are now but few, and because of this they want to die and so carry their lives on their fingernails.

I am alone in the world. I want to live in these mountains; I do not want to go to Tularosa. That is a long way off. I have drunk of the waters of the Dragoon Mountains and they have cooled me: I do not want to leave here.

Nobody wants peace more than I do. Why shut me up on a reservation? We will make peace; we will keep it faithfully. But let us go around free as Americans do. Let us go wherever we please."

---- Cochise

TREATY WITH NO PAPER

There was, in 1872, an assignment, which would place Oliver Howard back in the field and away from the headache of Washington politics. The government needed Howard to help negotiate a peace treaty with the warring Apache Indians under Cochise in the Arizona desert. Howard accepted the task and on March 7, 1872, he left Washington for Arizona.

All hell had broken loose in the desert. The story was a common one. Settlers had been pushing westwards in search of a better life- for some that meant gold and for others that meant a ranch or land- when they encountered Native Americans, who had been living on the land for centuries. Both sides became violent and soon a war was on. This time it was on courtesy of Cochise, chief of the Chiricahua Apaches and General George Crook, a hard fighting Civil War veteran who subscribed to General Phil Sheridan’s maxim: the only good Indian is a dead one.

In a last ditch effort to prevent a war, the government sent Howard west to try to calm things down. Arriving at Fort McDowell, Howard met with General Crook and persuaded him to halt his campaign until Howard had tried his hand at peace negotiations. Howard’s efforts soon brought peace with a number of tribes including members of the Apache, Papago and Pima. Howard’s visit to different tribes and efforts to create a new reservation, in which the Indians could be happily settled, helped smooth things out considerably. With his new friends, Howard returned to Washington in June 1872. Still, a major portion of his assignment had been left unaccomplished. Cochise was still on the rampage and in May Howard gave up hope of finding him. He ordered Crook to begin his war again Cochise. This was music to General Crook’s ears. However, President Grant didn’t like the idea very much and as soon as Howard reached Washington, the President sent him back to Arizona at once.

Howard returned and began his search for Cochise yet again. This time, however, he had the aid of a “scout” named Thomas Jeffords. Howard assured Jeffords that he meant no harm to Cochise and was willing to travel anywhere to find him, with or without military escort. This being said, a strange cast was assembled in the desert. Howard, the scout, and two Native American guides rode into the heart of Cochise’s territory. The general was going out on a limb, knowing full well what became of intruders who displeased the Apache Chief. Still, he went along in search of peace.

It must have been an interesting sight to see. Two Indians, a rugged cowboy type scout, and a major general in the United States Army crossing the desert in search of a legend and in a quest to prevent bloodshed. This was the stuff of great Western adventure movies, minus, of course, the gunfights.

In late summer, 1872, Howard was in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by thousands of hostile Indians, without an escort, and with no escape plan whatsoever. His willingness to come thus far must have proved his worth to Chief Cochise who soon came to a satisfactory agreement with Howard. A new reservation was carved out on the Mexican border and the Apache promised peace. A slight flaw in his agreement is that there was no paper treaty and in time misunderstandings of the terms of the treaty would cause some trouble for General Crook, but in the meantime, Howard had accomplished his mission and was heading home.

The people of Arizona did not especially enjoy his return from the desert, however. They wanted blood and kept demanding that Crook go in with guns blazing and sabers drawn. Controversy would arise in the years following the agreement as Indian raids into the Mexican border, and Cochise’s claims of immunity from U.S. military control made the settlers fear for their livelihood.

Meanwhile, Oliver Howard was in the Department of Columbia, commanding the Washington Territory, Alaska, Oregon, and Idaho. It was 1874 and there was peace throughout his department.

In 1872 (after increased pressure from both the Mexican and U.S. military to suppress the Apaches) Apache chief, Cochise, signed a treaty with the U.S. Government. This treaty would place the Apaches on an Arizona reservation leaving only small bands of Apache raiders to defend their territory. The Apache raiders were led by Chief Geronimo, who was considered the last great chief of the Apache nation. He and his raiders, terrorized the Southwest until they were finally captured in 1886. Geronimo’s capture signified the end of the Apache people as a viable warrior culture. The Apache people were moved three more times to Florida, Alabama, and the Oklahoma territory. They are fittingly recognized as the last Indian nation to be placed on a reservation.

---- Naiche, son of Cochise

APACHE - Language and Communication

The word "Apache" comes from the Yuma word for "fighting-men". It also comes from a Zuni word meaning "enemy". The Zuni name for Navajo was called "Apachis de Nabaju" by the earliest Spaniards exploring New Mexico. Their name for themselves is N'de, Inde or Tinde ("the people"). The Apaches are well-known for their superior skills in warfare strategy and inexhaustible endurance. Continuous wars among other tribes and invaders from Mexico followed the Apaches' growing reputation of warlike character. When they confronted Coronado in 1540, they lived in eastern New Mexico, and reached Arizona in the 1600s. The Apache are described as a gentle people; faithful in their friendship.

Apache spoke the language Athapaskan. Athapaskan is the widely used language among Native Americans. In the old days the Apaches and the Navajos spoke Athapaskan. Athapaskan was one of the three major language families among Native Americans. Seven tribes spoke Athapaskan including the Apache.

Apache is a language closely related to Navajo. It is spoken in the United States, unusual because most Athabaskan languages are spoken in the northwest of Canada and Alaska. Like most Athabaskan languages, Apache shows various levels of animacy in its grammar, with certain nouns taking different verb forms from others according to their rank in this animacy hierarchy. Apache's phonology is very similar to that of Navajo. It has four vowels a, e, i and o, and these may all be nasalised, long, high in tone or combinations of the three.

Athapaskan was used in stories. Apache told animal stories. The wolf is the main character. In one of the stories, the wolf brought fire to people. The wolf was very smart. The firefly village is where the wolf fire. The wolf got chased from the firefly village after he tricked the fireflies. Storytelling is a way Apache communicated

Apache communicated different ways. Apache used smoke signals for long distance. They have symbols, pictures, and poems. Sign-language was used while they traded. Apache used a calendar stick to keep track of days and what happened those days.

---> http://greatdreams.com/apache/Apache-Language.htm

"I believe much trouble would be saved, if we opened our hearts more."

---- Chief Joseph

"In the treaty councils the commissioners have claimed that our country had been sold to the Government. Suppose a white man should come to me and say, "Joseph, I like your horses, and I want to buy them." I say to him, "No, my horses suit me, I will not sell them."

Then he goes to my neighbor, and says to him: "Joseph has some good horses. I want to buy them, but he refuses to sell." My neighbor answers, "Pay me the money, and I will sell you Joseph's horses." The white man returns to me and says, "Joseph, I have bought your horses, and you must let me have them."

If we sold our lands to the Government, this is the way they were bought."

---- Chief Joseph ("Thunder Rolling Down the Mountain")
*Arguing against the right of the US Government to force his people to leave their lands (1876)

"Too many misinterpretations have been made; too many misunderstandings have come up between the white men and the Indians. If the white man wants to live in peace with the Indian he can live in peace. There need be no trouble. Treat all men alike. Give them the same laws. Give them all an even chance to live and grow.

All men were made by the same Great Spirit Chief. They are all brothers. The earth is the mother of all people, and all people should have equal rights upon it. You might as well expect all rivers to run backward as that any man who was born a free man should be contented penned up and denied liberty to go where he pleases.

If you tie a horse to a stake, do you expect he will grow fat? If you pen an Indian up on a small spot of earth and compel him to stay there, he will not be contented nor will he grow and prosper. I have asked some of the Great White Chiefs where they get their authority to say to the Indian that he shall stay in one place, while he sees white men going where they please. They cannot tell me.

I only ask of the Government to be treated as all other men are treated. If I cannot go to my own home, let me have a home in a country where my people will not die so fast.

When I think of our condition, my heart is heavy. I see men of my own race treated as outlaws and driven from country to country, or shot down like animals.

I know that my race must change. We cannot hold our own with the white men as we are. We only ask an even chance to live as other men live. We ask to be recognized as men. We ask that the same law shall work alike on all men. If an Indian breaks the law, punish him by the law. If a white man breaks the law, punish him also.

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 talk, think and act for myself — and I will obey every law or submit to the penalty.

Whenever the white man treats the Indian as they treat each other then we shall have no more wars. We shall be all alike — brothers of one father and mother, with one sky above us and one country around us and one government for all. Then the Great Spirit Chief who rules above will smile upon this land and send rain to wash out the bloody spots made by brothers' hands upon the face of the earth. For this time the Indian race is waiting and praying. I hope no more groans of wounded men and women will ever go to the ear of the Great Spirit Chief above, and that all people may be one people."

---- Chief Joseph
*Lincoln Hall Speech / Washington DC - January 14th 1879

"Perhaps you think the Creator sent you here to dispose of us as you see fit. If I thought you were sent by the Creator, I might be induced to think you had a right to dispose of me. Do not misunderstand me, but understand fully with reference to my affection for the land.

I never said the land was mine to do with as I choose. The one who has a right to dispose of it is the one who has created it. I claim a right to live on my land and accord you the privilege to return to yours."

---- Chief Joseph ( Hinmatóowyalahtq̓it)
*Speech rejecting the demands that he lead his people onto a reservation. (1876)

"Life is like a path...and we all have to walk the path... As we walk... we'll find experiences like little scraps of paper in front of us along the way. We must pick up those pieces of scrap paper and put them in our pocket... Then, one day, we will have enough scraps of papers to put together and see what they say...

Read the information and take it to heart."

---- Uncle Frank Davis (quoting his mother), PAWNEE

"The Creator designed us to learn by trial and error. The path of life we walk is very wide. Everything on the path is sacred - what we do right is sacred - but our mistakes are also sacred. This is the Creator's way of teaching spiritual people.

To criticize ourselves when we make mistakes is not part of the spiritual path. To criticize mistakes is not the Indian way. To learn from our mistakes is the Indian way. The definition of a spiritual person is someone who makes 30-50 mistakes each day and talks to the Creator after each one to see what to do next time.

This is the way of the Warrior."

---- Elly Blue Ridge

"These are our times and our responsibilities. Every human being has a sacred duty to protect the welfare of our Mother Earth, from whom all life comes. In order to do this, we must recognize the enemy - the one within us. We must begin with ourselves..."

---- Leon Shenandoah, ONONDAGA

"The outside is merely a reflection of our insides. My mind is designed to tell me that I'm not crazy for thinking what I am thinking. Even if I have angry thought, my mind is giving me excuses and reasons why it is OK to think what I'm thinking. I need to be knowledgeable about the laws of harmony and balance.

I cannot twist the laws to serve me, but I can adjust my life to serve the laws. This is the law - I am here to serve the Earth. The Earth is not here for me to misuse and abuse."

---- Elly Blue Ridge

"Our Spiritual belief is that we were created as part of the land - so our identity, our names, and our songs are all tied to the land."

---- Chief Roderick Robinson, NISGA'A

"When you are in the woods, you cannot ever be lost. You are surrounded by friends and surrounded by God."

---- Joe Coyhis, STOCKBRIDGE-MUNSEE

"In the traditional way, the names of native people had great meaning. We even had naming ceremonies. The naming of someone was very important and had great significance because it was tied to the Earth.

The identity of each member and the teachings of the songs were all tied to Mother Earth. We need to know these teachings from our culture. This knowledge will help us heal the people."

---- Elly Blue Ridge

" Every plant, every animal, every insect, every bird, every tree is made up of God. God is life and everything is alive. When you are hunting, remember all nature is your friend. All nature has purpose. All nature participates in the life cycle.

Nature communicates; Nature talks; Nature listens; Nature forgives; Nature respects; Nature loves. Nature lives in harmony. Nature follows the law. Nature is kind. Nature is balance. The woods are alive and beautiful. She is our friend."

---- Elly Blue Ridge

"A very great vision is needed...
and the man who has it...must follow it...,
...as the eagle seeks the deepest blue of the sky."

--- Crazy Horse