"When you lose the rhythm of the drumbeat of Spirit, you are lost from the peace and rhythm of the life."

- Chayenne saying

"Go forth in peace.
Be still within yourself and know
that the trail is beautiful.
May the winds be gentle upon your face
and your direction be straight and true
as the flight of the eagle.
Walk in beauty and harmony
with God and all people."

- Navaho blessing

"It is the mothers, not warriors, who create a people and guide their destiny."

- Luther Standing Bear, Oglala Lakota

"Whatever your difficulty, whatever your hardship,
dance and make the song you sing your prayer.
Sing it courageously, and with each step
strenghten yourself with the knowledge
and wisdom of your elders,
so that whatever next happens
you can survive
and not lose your rhythm."

- Red Haircrow

"With all things and in all things, we are relatives."

- Sioux proverb

"All Life is sacred. We come into Life as sacred beings. When we abuse sacredness of Life we affect all Creation."

- Chief Arvol Looking Horse

"Man is a part of nature and his war against nature is inevitably a war against himself."

- Rachel Carson

"The love of possesions is a disease with them. They take tithes from the poor and weak to support the rich who rule. They claim this Mother of ours, The Earth, for their own and fence their neighbours away. If America would be twice the size it is, there still would not have been enough: the Indian would still have been dispossesed."

- Chief Sitting Bull

"If you listen close at night,
you will hear creatures of the dark,
all of them sacred -
the owls, the crickets, the frogs,
the night birds -
and you will hear beautiful songs,
songs you have never heard before.
Listen with your heart.
Never stop listening."

- Henry Quick Bear, Lakota

"The drums will always beat loudly in our hearts
even through the noise of the world,
and every time your feet touch our Mother Earth
our souls will feel the pull of those
who walked before us."

- William Windwalker

"May the warm winds of Heaven
blow softly upon your house.
May 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

Fascinated by his invincible spirit:

CRAZY HORSE - Oglala Sioux war chief

"An uncompromising and fearless Lakota leader who was committed to protecting his people's way of life, Crazy Horse was born with the Native American name Tashunka Witco around 1840 near what is present-day Rapid Springs, South Dakota.

The details of how he came to acquire the name Crazy Horse are up for debate. One account says that his father, also named Crazy Horse, passed the name on to him after his son had demonstrated his skills as a warrior.

Even as a young boy, Crazy Horse stood out. He was fair-skinned and had brown, curly hair, giving him an appearance that was noticeably different from other boys his age. These physical differences may have laid the groundwork for a personality that even among his own people made him a loner and a bit distant.

Crazy Horse's birth had come during a great time for the Lakota people. A division of the Sioux, the Lakota represented the largest band of the tribe. Their domain included a giant swath of land that ran from the Missouri River to the Big Horn Mountains in the west. Their contact with whites was minimal, and by the 1840s the Lakota were at the peak of their power.

In the 1850s, however, life for the Lakota began to change considerably. As white settlers began pushing west in search of gold and a new life out on the frontier, competition for resources between these new immigrants and the Lakota created tension. Military forts were established in parts of the Great Plains, bringing in even more white settlers and introducing diseases that took their toll on the native Indian populations.

In August 1854 everything boiled over in what became known as the Grattan Massacre. It started when a group of white men, led by Lieutenant John Grattan, entered a Sioux camp to take prisoner the men who had killed a migrant's cow. After Chief Conquering Bear refused to give in to their demands, violence erupted. After one of the white soldiers shot and killed the chief, the camp's warriors fought back and killed Grattan and his 30 men.

The Grattan Massacre is widely considered the conflict that kicked off the First Sioux War between the United States and the Lakota. For the still young Crazy Horse, it also helped establish what would be a lifetime of distrust for whites.

Celebrated Warrior

As conflicts escalated between the Lakota and the U.S., Crazy Horse was at the center of many key battles.

In one important victory for his people, Crazy Horse led an attack on Captain William J. Fetterman and his brigade of 80 men. The Fetterman Massacre, as it came to be known, proved to be a huge embarrassment for the U.S. military.

Even after the signing of the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868, which guaranteed the Lakota important land, including the coveted Black Hills territory, Crazy Horse continued his fight.

Beyond his seemingly mystical ability to avoid injury or death on the battlefield, Crazy Horse also showed himself to be uncompromising with his white foes. He refused to be photographed and never committed his signature to any document. The aim of his fight was to retake the Lakota life he'd known as a child, when his people had full run of the Great Plains.

But there was little hope that would ever happen. Following the discovery of gold in the Black Hills, and the U.S. government's backing of white explorers in the territory, the War Department ordered all Lakota onto reservations.

Crazy Horse and Chief Sitting Bull refused. On June 17, 1876, Crazy Horse led a force of 1,200 Oglala and Cheyenne warriors against General George Crook and his brigade, successfully turning back the soldiers as they attempted to advance toward Sitting Bull's encampment on the Little Bighorn River.

A week later Crazy Horse teamed up with Sitting Bull to decimate General George Armstrong Custer and his esteemed Seventh Cavalry in the Battle of the Little Bighorn, perhaps the greatest victory ever by Native Americans over U.S. troops.

Last Stand

Following the defeat of Custer, the U.S. Army struck back hard against the Lakota, pursuing a scorched-earth policy whose aim was to extract total surrender. While Sitting Bull led his followers into Canada to escape the wrath of the Army, Crazy Horse continued to fight.

But as the winter of 1877 set in and food supplies began to shorten, Crazy Horse's followers started to abandon him. On May 6, 1877, he rode to Fort Robinson in Nebraska and surrendered. Instructed to remain on the reservation, he defied orders that summer to put his sick wife in the care of his parents.

After his arrest, Crazy Horse was returned to Fort Robinson, where, in a struggle with the officers, he was bayoneted in the kidneys. He passed away with his father at his side on September 5, 1877.

Years after his death Crazy Horse is still revered for being a visionary leader who fought hard to preserve his people's traditions and way of life."

>>>> http://www.biography.com/people/crazy-horse-9261082#celebrated-warrior

More about Crazy Horse:

"Chief Crazy Horse is known as the greatest warrior ever of the Oglala Sioux (Teton Lakota). He was born on Rapid Creek, Dakota Territory, about 1842. He died September 5, 1877 at Fort Robinson, Nebraska after being stabbed with a bayonet while struggling to keep from being placed inside a guard house when he thought he was going to a meeting with white leaders to correct a misunderstanding resulting from a deliberate misrepresentation of his words by an interpreter during an earlier conference. He was highly regarded by his people, jealously envied by some rival chiefs and would be leaders of the Lakota people and greatly feared by the soldiers. This combination of jealousy and fear led to his death.

There are no authenticated photographs of Crazy Horse and he was known to resist having his photograph taken. Several years after his death, two or three images have been presented as being photographs of him. One that is documented by Carroll Friswold as having been taken at Fort Robinson at the urging of a friend (Little Bat) seems to me to be the most likely to be an actual photograph of Crazy Horse. His appearance is described as: light skinned, long curly brown hair, not tall (about 5�8����), having sharp features, being more rounded of face with less pronounced cheek bones, with a scar on his left jaw near his mouth and nose from a bullet wound where No Water shot him for being with Black Buffalo Woman who had married No Water. He is said to have worn his hair long to his waist and while not in battle braided with beaver pelt covering and having two eagle feathers hanging down on the left of his face.

In battle, he wore his hair loose with a single red-tailed hawk feather, a stone behind his ear, his face painted with a lightening bolt and hail stones, no shirt only a breech cloth and leggings. He tied a single red-tailed hawk feather to his horse’s tail, dusted his horse’s mane and tail and himself with dirt from a mole hill, wore a battle necklace with a special mixture of the brain and heart of an eagle mixed with dried wild aster seed in a small deerskin bag and blew an eagle bone whistle just before going into battle. These actions were taken and items worn as a result of his vision as a young boy.

The vision of Crazy Horse as a boy would direct his every action for the rest of his life. After witnessing the first of many battles between the Lakota and the soldiers where Chief Conquering Bear and several soldiers were killed, he went off to himself for three days where he sought to understand what had happened and what place he would fill in the coming years. On the third day he saw a horse and rider emerge from a body of water and float in the air. The horseman was dressed in breechcloth with leggings only and one feather in his hair. His hair was unbraided. He wore no war paint. A voice spoke to Crazy Horse saying, "��You are to help the people with what ever need they have. You are not to take anything for yourself. If you go to war, bullets and arrows will not harm you as long as you dress in plain clothes, wear your hear unbraided with only one feather on your head and carry a small stone behind your ear. Before you mount your horse you are to throw dust over yourself and your horse."�� A crowd of people now appeared in the vision; they tried to hold the horseman back by grabbing onto his arms. He rode through the people and kept going. A thunderstorm appeared with hail and lightning all around, the horseman kept on riding. The storm faded, showing the horseman with hail spots on his body and a zigzag streak of lightning on his cheek. In the quiet after the storm, a red tail hawk appeared overhead, his scream echoing as he flew over the horseman. Now the people appeared again grabbing at the horseman’s arms, but he pulled away from them and rode off. (The above account of Crazy Horse’s vision is taken from Freedman, The Life and Death of Crazy Horse, pg 31-34 and repeated in Ehanamani, Crazy Horse, pg 7-8).

He did not seek notoriety, rather avoided recognition and did not brag of his exploits. His first thoughts continually were to provide for the welfare of his people. Even as a young boy he gave away game he killed to others and just before his death his decision to bring in his people as the soldiers demanded likely was caused by the failure of the buffalo food supply rather than any fear of fighting. He never lost a battle, was never injured by a bullet (only an arrow when he once took two scalps and from that point on never again took scalps) and was forever the first person to charge the enemy, often running his horse close to the enemy line over and over again. His chosen weapon was a battle club.

Crazy Horse was known as Curly when very young because of his long curly hair. He was given the name of his father (Crazy Horse) after having demonstrated his prowess in battle at an early age. He was fearless in battle, quiet and reserved in camp, kind to his people, always helping the needy and was chosen as a young man to be a shirt-wearer and chief. This event truly humbled Crazy Horse and he never ceased to think of the needs of his people but once and that one lapse caused the other rival chiefs to remove the shirt from him. They were looking for any opportunity to discredit him as he was so popular with the people. After No Water shot him in the face for being with his wife, Black Buffalo Woman, Crazy Horse’s ceremonial shirt was taken from him. Nevertheless he continued to be held in the highest regard by his followers, thus making the rival chiefs even more envious and jealous.

He was forever seeking to fulfill his vision and help his people through hunting for food, leading in battle and was never boastful or proud. He was often quiet and removed from tribal activities and ceremonies. He frequently meditated and sought spiritual guidance. During one such search for wisdom, a far-reaching vision was provided to him whereby he saw the end of his people’s traditional ways, the weakness caused by alcohol and the resulting destruction of his people’s strength and character. He further saw the time when all people would come together again and seek the light of understanding. Between these two images however, he saw great trouble and much hardship for his people. So Crazy Horse had foreknowledge of the manner in which his people would come to depend too heavily on the white man’s handouts and loose their way even as he fought to preserve the old ways. This knowledge that his people could not win in the long run and the loss of the buffalo may well have contributed to his eventual decision to bring his people in when he did.

Crazy Horse led the struggle against the overwhelming odds of the white soldiers. He continued to gain the respect of the people he led through courageous fighting and cunning leadership in battle. He changed the manner of fighting to take advantage of surprise attacks on the enemy’s flank and focused on killing the enemy rather than just counting coup as had been the way of battles with Indian foes. Crazy Horse fought many battles did not get shot even though he routinely was in the thickest of the fight and always rode ahead of his warriors nearest to the enemy where the firing was the heaviest. His most famous battle was that of the Little Big Horn where Crazy Horse along with Sitting Bull and other chiefs were able to outflank Custer’s soldiers and kill them. On the day of the battle, as he often said when going into battle, Crazy Horse encouraged his warriors by shouting "��Hoka Hey! It is a good time to die!"�� Yet, on this most furiously fought battle, he again did not receive a wound.

But even so great a victory could not turn the tide of the ever-increasing number of soldiers being brought to fight Crazy Horse. While others surrendered, Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse continued to fight. Crazy Horse is said to have stated his strong ties to his people and the land he loved by the quote: "��My lands are where my dead lie buried."�� The battles were running skirmishes with the hard winter weather of as low as ��30 degrees also hampering Crazy Horse and his followers as they could not make permanent camp. Although Crazy Horse did not likely know of it, the very land he was fighting to retain was actually signed away by Red Cloud and others even while he continued to fight for it.

Ultimately Crazy Horse was forced to allow his followers to come in to Red Cloud Agency as food was unavailable and conditions were becoming unbearable for the women and children. He was promised much by the white soldiers that they never intended to deliver. The other chiefs became jealous of Crazy Horse���s standing and were afraid that the white government would make Crazy Horse chief of all the Sioux because of their fear of him. The soldiers were trying to convince Crazy Horse to go to Washington to see the President, but in fact were intending to send him to a prison off the cost of Florida.

Crazy Horse was convinced to come to Fort Robinson to explain to Colonel Bradley that he did not intend to fight anymore. When he arrived, however, Bradley would not see him. Rather the soldiers attempted to lock him in a stockade cell. When Crazy Horse realized what was happening he attempted to get away from those restraining him. His friend, Little Big Man, had a hold on his arms and just as Crazy Horse’s vision had shown him some twenty-three years earlier while he was being held by one of his own people his life was taken from him. A soldier plunged a bayonet into his side puncturing both kidneys. Crazy Horse realized immediately that death was inevitable. Touch-the-Clouds and Crazy Horse’s father, Worm - who had also been named Crazy Horse, stayed with him until he died just before midnight. The death of Crazy Horse marked the end of the struggle to retain the old ways and led to a resignation to reservation life that meant the end of a proud and noble people’s way of life.

Quotes attributed to Crazy Horse on the day of his death. "��Let me go my friends. You have got me hurt enough."�� "��Father, I am bad hurt. Tell the people it is no use to depend on me any more."��

The man who was Crazy Horse and who followed his vision in battle and who saw the future of his people died an untimely death. He is remembered by his spirit and kindness to his people. A mountain in the Black Hills is being transformed into an image of his likeness. The spirit of Crazy Horse is even today a strong and abiding presence in all who know his history. He is larger than life and his influence is still felt by all who believe in the ultimate strength and goodness of the human race regardless of the color of one���s skin.

In addition to seeing the fall of his people in their struggle with the white invaders of their land, Crazy Horse also saw in his second vision a time when ultimately all people were one and were living together in peace. So the spirit of Crazy Horse who fought to hold on to the ways his people knew and understood also is a spirit that realized the inevitable conclusion of the struggle between peoples. He was a victim of his time, yet he saw beyond the limits of his physical life."


>>> http://smithdray.tripod.com/ch/crazyhorsestory.htm




"It does not matter where his body lies;
there the grass is growing.
But where his spirit lies,
that would be a good place to be."

- Black Elk, "Black Elk Speaks", John G. Neihardt

"The Red Nation shall rise again and it shall be a blessing for a sick world; a world filled with broken promises, selfishness and separations; a world longing for light again.

I see a time of Seven Generations when all the colors of mankind will gather under the Sacred Tree of Life and the whole Earth will become one circle again.

In that day, there will be those among the Lakota who will carry knowledge and understanding of unity among all living things and the young white ones will come to those of my people and ask for this wisdom.

I salute the light within your eyes where the whole Universe dwells. For when you are at that center within you and I am that place within me, we shall be one."

- Crazy Horse, Oglala Lakota Sioux (circa 1840-1877)

Crazy Horse is quoted as saying while he sat smoking the Sacred Pipe with Sitting Bull for the last time — Crazy Horse was killed four days later by US Army soldiers in a hand-to-hand scuffle as they attempted to imprison him.

"Legend of the Cherokee Rose

The Cherokee were driven from their homelands in the areas that are now known as Tennessee, North Carolina, and from Georgia, after gold was discovered in North Georgia's Cherokee territory in 1828, which was already being mined illegally. The year was 1838 when the Treaty of New Echota (Enchanted Land) was signed and United States began the removal of the original inhabitants from their homelands to Oklahoma. The journey, Nunnadaultsunyi (Trail Were They Cried) is better known as the "Trail of Tears". It was a terrible time for the people, many died from the hardships and the women cried many tears.

The old men knew the women must be strong to help the children survive so they called upon the Great One to help their people and to give the mothers strength. The Great One answered by causing a plant to spring up everywhere a Mother's tears had fallen upon the ground on the journey.

The Great One told the old men that the plant would grow quickly, then fall back to the ground and another stem would grow. The plant would have white blossoms, a beautiful rose with five petals, the color of gold in the center, for the greed of the white man for the gold on their land. The leaves would have seven green leaflets, one for each seven Cherokee clans.

The plant would be strong and grow quickly throughout the land all along the trail to mark the journey. The stickers on the stem would protect it from those who might try to move it, as it spread to reclaim some of the lost Cherokee homeland.

The next morning, the women saw the beautiful white blossoms far back on the trail. When they heard what the Great One had said they felt their strength returning and knew they would survive and the children would grow and the People would flourish in the new home for the Cherokee Nation."

"They don't understand that a slice of the pie isn't the whole pie - but they wonder why they are always hungry."

- Russel Means, Oglala, Lakota

"I encourage the Nations to pray in their own ways and to revive their own ancient traditions for love and respect, which are the foundations stones of all Indigenious cultures."

- Chief Arvol Looking Horse

"Man�s law changes with his understanding of man. Only the laws of the spirit remain always the same."

- Crow saying

"When choosing a leader, we always kept in mind that humility provides clarity where arrogance makes a cloud. The last thing we wanted was to be led by someone whose judgement and actions were clouded by arrogance."

- The Lakota Way

"...Afterwhile, I got used to being there, but I was like a man who had never had a vision. I felt dead and my people seemed lost and I thought I might never find them again. I did not see anything to help my people. I could see that the Wasichus (white people) did not care for each other the way our people did before the nation�s hoop was broken. They would take everything from each other if they could and so there were some who had more of everything than they could use, while crowds of people had nothing at all and maybe were starving. They had forgotten that the Earth was their mother. This could not be better than the old ways of my people..."

- Black Elk