Tips

Indian sayings. When will the last tree be cut down? Who said when the last tree will be cut down?

Indian philosophy is the worldview of a community in which a person perceives himself as part of the surrounding world, does not oppose himself to nature (which must be subjugated!), but feels a kinship with it: mother Earth, father Sun, grandmother Moon, corn, spider, river - this living, “spiritualized” beings. They must be respected and under no circumstances destroyed, thereby disturbing the balance of the whole (universe) and destroying oneself.

For you, pale-faced brothers and sisters, these are Indian sayings that reflect the entire philosophy of distant tribes.

When the last tree is cut down, when the last river is poisoned, when the last bird is caught, only then will you understand that money cannot be eaten.
In the first year of marriage, the newlyweds looked at each other and wondered if they could be happy. If not, they said goodbye and looked for new spouses. If they were forced to live together in disagreement, we would be as stupid as the white man.
You can't wake up a person who's pretending to be asleep.
The Great Spirit is imperfect. He has a light side and a dark side. Sometimes the dark side gives us more knowledge than the light side.
Look at me. I'm poor and naked. But I am the leader of my people. We don't need riches. We just want to teach our children to be right. We want peace and love.
Even your silence can be part of prayer.
The white man is greedy. In his pocket he carries a canvas rag into which he blows his nose - as if he is afraid that he might blow his nose and miss something very valuable.
We are poor because we are honest.
Knowledge is hidden in every thing. Once upon a time the world was a library.
My son will never take up farming. Those who work on the earth do not dream, but wisdom comes to us in dreams.
We don't want churches because they will teach us to argue about God.
When a person prays one day and then sins six, the Great Spirit becomes angry, and Evil spirit laughs.
Why do you take by force what you cannot take by love?
The old days were wonderful. The old people sat in the sun at the threshold of their house and played with the children until the sun plunged them into slumber. The old people played with the children every day. And at some point they simply did not wake up.
When a legend dies and a dream disappears, there is no greatness left in the world.
What is a man without animals? If all animals are exterminated, man will die from great loneliness of spirit. Everything that happens to animals also happens to humans.
One “take” is better than two “I will give.”
Don't walk behind me - I may not lead you. Don't go ahead of me - I may not follow you. Walk side by side and we will be one.
Truth is what people believe.
Even a small mouse has the right to be angry.
I suffer when I remember how much was said good words and how many promises were broken. In this world, those who have no right to speak talk too much.
Let my enemy be strong and terrible. If I overcome it, I will not feel shame.
He who tells stories rules the world.
Strive for wisdom, not knowledge. Knowledge is the past. Wisdom is the future.
It doesn't take many words to tell the truth.
Love the earth. It was not inherited by you from your parents, it was borrowed by you from your children.

“Peace... comes to the souls of people when they realize their interconnection, their unity with the Universe and all its forces, and when they realize that Wakan-Tanka lives in the center of the universe, and that this center is actually located everywhere, inside everyone from U.S". (Black Deer [Hehaka Sapa], Oglala Sioux)
If we want to know the world, we must look within ourselves. To do this, we must learn to remain still. We must calm the mind. We must learn to meditate. Meditation helps us identify and find the center within us. The center where the Great One is located. When we begin to seek peace, we must understand where it is within us. If we are in conflict, we need to stop for a moment and ask the Power within us: “How do you want me to handle this? What do you suggest I do in this situation?” Asking Higher Power through help we find peace.
Creator, help me find peace.
“Many people hardly ever feel the real earth under their feet, see plants growing except in flower pots, or find themselves far enough from street lights to catch the charm of a star-studded night sky. When people live far from the places created by the Great Spirit, it is easy for them to forget His laws.” (Tatanga Mani (Walking Buffalo), stoney)
Nature is life's greatest teacher. The laws of nature are hidden in nature. It contains solutions to everyday problems such as conflict resolution, forgiveness, lessons about differences, how to manage organizations, how to think. Feelings are hidden in it. You can look at something and feel it. At night, have you ever looked at the sky when there are no clouds on it? Looking at all these stars fills your heart with joy. You will leave filled with joy and peace. We must come to nature so that we can see and feel it.
My Creator, let me learn the lessons of nature.
“Training is for everyone, not just Indians... White people have never wanted to learn before. They considered us savages. Now their understanding has changed and they want to learn. We are all children of God. The tradition is open to anyone who wants to learn.” (Don Jose Matusuwa, Huichol)
In the summer of 1994, a white bison calf was born. This means that now the time has come for all races to come together. The elders say that at this time a voice within will begin to speak to everyone. He will say that now is the time to forgive, now is the time to come together. Do we want to do this? Do we want to stop judging other people? The elders say He will speak through people of all races and genders. We must open our hearts and welcome our brothers and sisters.
Great Spirit, cause my ears to be open as I walk the path You have chosen for me.
“As elders, we in turn must show respect to our young people in order to receive respect from them.” (Grace Ezek, Nisga'a)
The attitude of our elders will be the attitude of our people. The attitude of the parents will become the attitude of the children. If respect is expressed from above, respect will be developed from below. If the elders show respect, the youth will be respectful. As above, so below. This happens because of the relationship. The heart of the elders is connected to the heart of the youth.
Great Spirit, let me respect both the elders and the young.
“God alone looks down on us. We are all children of one God. God listens to me. The sun, the darkness, the winds - everyone is listening to what I’m saying now.” (Geronimo, Apache)
The old people knew the world before us. Many of them were so spiritual that the Creator spoke to them through visions, ceremonies and prayers. The Creator taught them about interconnection, harmony and respect. The old men mastered these things and told us that we are all children of the same God. We all live under the same laws of nature. Every human being, every animal, every plant, every insect, every bird—we are all the same in the eyes of God.
Great Mystery, teach me to respect everything you have created.
“We create evil among us. We create it; and then we try to call him the devil, Satan, evil. But it is created by man. There is no devil. Man creates the devil."
Within each person there are laws and regulations by which we must live. These laws and regulations communicate with us in a quiet voice. When we are calm, this voice guides us. If we choose a life without harmony, it becomes filled with anger, hatred, selfishness, dishonesty, etc. When these things appear in our lives, we abdicate responsibility and blame them on something or someone else. If we want to live in harmony, we must pray to return to living according to the principles that the Creator gave us.
Great Spirit, let me walk with these principles today.
“We have a biological father and mother, but our real Father is Tunkashila [Creator] and our real Mother is the Earth.” (Wallace Black Deer, Lakota)
Who really gives us life? Who really gives us food and nourishment? Who really allows us to be born? We are born through our parents, who serve as carriers of life for the Creator and Mother Earth. Our parents take care of us for a while, until we become ready to leave them and be devoted to our real Father, the Creator, and our real Mother, the Earth. Then we must serve the Creator and respect Mother Earth.
Great Spirit, thank you for being my Father. Teach me to honor the Earth.
“I think a big mistake was made when people separated religion and government. This was one of the great mistakes that people made, because when they did this, they separated the Creator from their lives - or at least from half or three-quarters of their lives." (Tom Porter, Mohawk)
The elders say that everything created by the Creator is interconnected. Nothing can be separated. The elders say we should pray before we do anything. We should ask the creator, what do you want us to do? We are placed on earth to do God's will. If we manage our governments, communities, families, ourselves without spirituality, we are doomed to fail.
My Creator, guide my life so that spirituality is included in everything I do.
“The spiritual power that I serve is much more beautiful and much greater. We call it wisdom, knowledge, power and gift, or love. These are the four parts of spiritual power. And I serve them. When you serve this power, it makes your mind and spirit beautiful. You are becoming beautiful. Everything that Tunkashila creates is beautiful.” (Wallace Black Deer, Lakota)

When I was little, I asked my grandfather, “What should I pray for?” He thought for a long time and then said: “Pray only for wisdom and the knowledge of love.” It has deep meaning. No matter what happens, I ask the Creator to teach me a lesson to learn. I pray that He will help me learn these lessons. By doing this every day, we become beautiful human beings.
Great Spirit, grant me Your wisdom.
“And incredible things like this happen. But you must believe in them first. Don’t wait until you see them first, then touch them, then believe them... You must say it from the bottom of your heart.” (Wallace Black Deer, Lakota)
The strength of our beliefs is incredible. The power of faith is a very natural power. Where do we get faith? We form an imaginary picture inside our mind when talking to ourselves. This self-talk is recorded in our minds and three dimensions - words that evoke a picture to which a feeling or emotion is attached. Given words and a picture, this emotion is what turns an idea into a belief. The right emotion is born when you speak from the bottom of your heart. The heart is the source of emotions that can cause incredible things to happen.
Great Spirit, with You all things are possible.
“Silence is the absolute stability or balance of body, mind and spirit.” (Charles Eastman (Ohayesa), Santee Sioux)
Be still and know. All new teachings, all ideas about new things, creativity, dreams and mental efficiency come to those who study silence. All warriors know the power of silence. All Elders know about immobility. Be still and know God. Meditation is a place of silence. This is the place where the voice of God is heard. We can find an incredible amount of knowledge in a place of silence. This is the sacred abode of God.
Great Spirit, teach me the power of silence.
“Because if you believe in something and you believe in it long enough, it happens.” (Rolling Thunder, Cherokee)
We were created by the Great One to carry out His will with the help of images created in the mind and visions. Our thoughts are three-dimensional: words, images and feelings. We create visions by thinking words, and we create feelings for visions by experiencing enthusiasm, desire, conviction and other strong feelings. Having created a vision, we move towards it and become what we think about. All visions are tested by our conversation with ourselves. For example: “This won’t happen, where will the money come from?” When this happens, we need to let go of the checking and focus on believing in the vision. Why? Because God said that if we believe in something long enough, He will provide it for us!!!
Great One, may my faith be strong today. Help me believe in my visions.
“We are responsible for the condition of the Earth. We are the ones who are responsible for it and who can change it. If we wake up, it will be possible to change the energy. It is possible to change everything." (Unbatz Men, Maya)
The environment we want to see outside will be created by our mental images [pictures] in our heads. We must have the right view of the environment, and with it the right values. These values will give our mental concepts their true meaning. If we respect Mother Earth, we will not throw garbage on Her, or pour poison on Her. We will not misuse Her. Mother Earth is what She is today because of the mental concepts of previous generations, as well as because of the mental concepts of our own generation. If we want the environment to change, each person must change his mental image. "As inside, so outside."
Great Spirit, make me ready today for Your guiding voice.
“People need to be responsible for their thoughts in order to learn to control them. It may not be easy, but it is possible." (Rolling Thunder, Cherokee)
We control our thoughts by controlling our self-talk. At any moment we want, we can talk to ourselves differently. Struggle comes with emotions that are attached to our thoughts. If our emotions are strong and seem out of control, we can tell ourselves STOP IT!, take a few deep breaths, then ask the Creator for the right thought or the right decision or the right action. If we do this for some time, our mental life will become different. It helps if in the morning we ask God to direct our thinking. God loves to help us.
Great Spirit, guide my thinking today so that my choices are made by You.
“Race and language don’t matter. Barriers disappear when people unite at the highest spiritual level." (Rolling Thunder, Cherokee)
Not only are the barriers of race and language overcome by spirituality, but all things are overcome by spirituality. There is a spirit within every human being. When we look at people, we can choose whether to look at their outer or their inner. Spirituality lives within, we must be able to see what is inside ourselves. If we see spirituality within ourselves, we will see it within others. There is a saying: “what you see is what you get.”
My Creator, make me look at all my brothers and sisters with spiritual eyes.
The circle of speakers is also the circle of listeners. The circle of speakers allows people to talk as much as they need to talk. You can get just as much from listening. Is it a coincidence that the Creator gave us one mouth and two ears? The power of the circle allows us to share our hearts with each other. What we share with each other is also what heals us. When we talk in a circle about pain, it disperses in the circle and we are freed from pain. The circle of speakers works because when people gather in a circle, the Great Mystery is at the center.
My Creator, give me the courage to share and the courage to listen.
“Everything is spirit and everything is connected to each other.” (grandfather William Commanda, Algonquin)

If everything is connected, we cannot be disconnected. Disconnecting is not a realistic choice. That's why we are always spiritual, no matter what we do. Every alcoholic is spiritual. All our brothers and sisters are spiritual. We may behave wrongly, but still we are spiritual. Our choice is to live out of harmony with spiritual paths, or to live in harmony with spiritual paths. Everything is spiritual.
Great Spirit, give me the knowledge to be in harmony with spirit today.
“If people want to get back into balance, one of the things they have to do is find the truth. They have to start telling the truth themselves, and that's hard to do. The way the world is going now does not mind lies.” (Jon Peters (Slow Turtle), Wampanoag)
Great Spirit, let me grow in the knowledge of the circle.
“There is no death. There is only a change of worlds.” (Chief Seattle, Suquamish and Duwamish.)
The elders tell us about another dimension - the World of Spirits. Our spirit does not die in the body, it only seems so to our eyes and brain. Some of our ceremonies provide glimpses into the Spirit World. Death is only part of the process of life. It shows the transition to the World of Spirits. The elders tell us that this is life's joyful journey.
My creator, help me understand both worlds - the visible and the invisible. Let me not be afraid of the world in which You live.
“We call it the ‘sacred’ red road because it is the road that leads us to leading a good life, an honest and healthy life.” (Larry P. Aitken, Chippewa)
The Red Road is the path we take when we want direct communication with the Great Spirit. She demands sacrifice. It requires a test of our faith. Walking this trail is truly an honor. The fruits of such an action are wonderful, and not only for us, but the effect of them will be felt for three generations. This means that your children benefit, as well as your grandchildren. Do you want to walk this sacred road?
Great Spirit, guide me and my family along the Red Road.
“We suffer more sorrows because we have been cut off from our earth, our first Mother, our spiritual Mother.” (Larry P. Aitken, Chippewa)
Where does life come from? From the earth. Where does it all go back to? To the Earth. Where do values come from? From the earth. Many people are lost because they do not know the importance of connecting with the Earth. They are associated with money, connections, success, goals. When we are disconnected from the Earth, we experience feelings of sadness and loss. When we are connected to the Earth, we feel warm and safe.
Great Spirit, help me stay connected to Mother Earth.
“In the ability to share and love everyone and everything, some people naturally find exactly what they desire, while in fear, others find the need for conquest.” (Chief Luther Standing Bear, Sioux)
There are two systems of thought from which we can choose. One is a system of thoughts of love, the other is a system of thoughts of fear. If we choose love, we will see the laws, principles and values of the Creator. If we choose fear, the results will be so paralyzing that they will lead us to want to take over and distrust the Great Spirit. The thought system of fear automatically gives rise to attack, conflict, and the need to control others. The thought system of love seeks peace of mind, unity and makes us seekers of love.
Great Spirit today let me see only love.
“You can't just sit down and talk about the truth. That's not how it works. You have to live it and be a part of it, and then you can know it.” (Rolling Thunder, Cherokee)
“Even the seasons form a great circle with their changes, and always return to their place. A person’s life is a circle from childhood to childhood, and so with everything in which power moves.” (Black Deer (Hehaka Sapa), Oglala Sioux)
“Doing things right is very difficult, but as long as we do so, we are connected with the Great Spirit.” (Rolling Thunder, Cherokee)
“We say there is a right time and place for everything. It's easy to say, but difficult to understand. You have to live it to understand it.” (Rolling Thunder, Cherokee)
“Let the person to whom I have helped express his gratitude in accordance with his own upbringing and sense of humor.” (Charles A. Eastman (Ohayesa), Santee Sioux)
“We continue to do our otahan, our gift exchange, because it helps us remain Indian.” (Lame Deer, Lakota)
Our traditional communities and villages function on interdependence. Share the deer and give freely what you have to another. Another way to express this principle is that it is better to give than to receive. Sharing what you have destroys complexity. The elders say - live a simple life. One of the principles of the Invisible World is that the more you give, the more you receive. You can become a source of abundance for your family, tribe, community. Whatever you share will come back to you in equal or greater amounts. The Indian way is for everyone to give to others, so the community benefits.
Great Spirit, teach me today the principle of giving. Let me be Your source of abundance.
“I can tell you that understanding begins with love and respect. It begins with respect for the Great Spirit. All things - and I mean ALL things - have their own will and their own path and their own purpose. That's what should be respected." (Rolling Thunder, Cherokee)

Everything on earth has a purpose and is created special. No two things are the same. Sometimes we have an image in our minds of how things should be, and often what we see is different from reality. When this happens, we often want to control our environment by making it act or behave in our image. We should leave this alone. God controls everything. How do we do this? We will tell ourselves that we love everything and respect everything as it is. Accept what we cannot change.
Great Spirit, teach me the value of respect and help me accept people, places and things as they are.
“No being and no group of beings can block the path of another being, or change it contrary to what suits its nature and its purpose. It can be done for a while, but in the end it won’t work.” (Rolling Thunder, Cherokee)
“One day it could be 100 degrees in the shade and then all of a sudden there's a storm and there's hail the size of golf balls and the prairie turns white and your teeth are chattering. It's good - it's a reminder that you're just a small piece of nature, not as powerful as you think." (Lame Deer, Lakota)
“The spirit still has something to reveal to us - a medicinal plant, a source, a flower - a very small flower, perhaps you can spend for a long time looking at it, thinking about it.” (Lame Deer, Lakota)
The modern world tells us: hurry up!, get there quickly!, work more, produce more, hurry up, eat faster, don’t be late, don’t give in to stress - headaches, conflicts, drink to calm down, take a course in stress management, time management - STOP! STOP! STOP! STOP! STOP! STOP! STOP! Go spend five minutes with a flower or plant. Look at it - think about it - look at its beauty, smell it, close your eyes and smell it again. Touch him, touch him with your eyes closed. Think about the little things. Now close your eyes and pray.
Great Spirit, may this feeling of peace within me continue throughout the day.
“I wanted to feel, smell, hear and see, but not just with my eyes and mind. I wanted to see with the help of CHANTE ISTA – the eyes of the heart.” (Lame Deer, Lakota)
Why do some people maintain peace of mind every day? How do some people stay so damn positive? How can you stay positive if you work and live in a negative environment? How is it that two people can observe the same difficult situation, but one is depressed by it and the other is not? Two people who find themselves in the same situation react completely differently. If each morning we ask the Creator to allow us to see with His understanding and His love, we will open new way"visions". The eye of the heart is a free gift given to us if we ask for it every day.
Grandfather, let me see the world and all the things you have created “through the eye of my heart.”
“Silence and self-control pervade the entirety of our lives.” (Larry P. Aitken, Chippewa)
The Creator has given us all a Red Road, and on this Red Road we must think and behave spiritually. To ensure that I behave in accordance with the Red Road, I must develop self-discipline. Self-control works best when we pray for courage and strength to do the will of the Great Spirit. We are here on earth to do the will of the Great Spirit. Sometimes we have to fight ourselves to do this.
Great Spirit, help me to direct my self-control in spiritual ways.
"Every thing or Living being that exists in this world, be it trees, flowers, birds, grass, stones, the soil of the earth, or human beings, has its own special way of existence - its essence, its spirit - that is what makes it what it is. That’s what we mean by interconnectedness.” (Larry P. Aitken, Chippewa)
Scientists have finally realized what the Elders have taught for thousands of years - everything is interconnected. Because everything is interconnected, what you do to one thing, you do to everything. If you poison part of the earth, the poison will eventually affect the rest. If you poison the plants, the birds will eat the plants, which will poison the birds. Birds that people eat will poison people. People will have children with defects because the plants were poisoned. We must learn to live in harmony with the earth. We must learn to think well. Every good thought is felt by everyone and leads to the fact that everything will be happy.
Creator, make sure that my thoughts are good thoughts.
“In the Indian way, we are connected to a flower if we understand its spirit—the essence of its life.” (Larry P. Aitken, Chippewa)
Everything on our earth is alive. Every stone, every plant, every animal, every tree, every bird, every thought is alive. This is true because everything was created by the Great Spirit, and the Great Spirit is alive. We should pause every day of our lives and realize, consciously, that this is true. Firstly, we should understand it, secondly, accept it, thirdly, we should appreciate it, and then, we should move on.
Great Spirit, let me see life through Your eyes. Let me be alive today.
“But each of us must find what our gift is in order to be able to use it in our lives.” (Jimmy Jackson, Ojibwa)
Old people say everyone has their own song. This song is the reason for our existence on this earth. When we do what we came to this earth to do, we know true happiness. How do we know our song? Pray. Ask the Great Mystery: “What do you want me to do while I am on earth?” Ask. He will tell you. He will even help you develop yourself to fulfill His mission.
Great Spirit, help me find my song and let me sing it.
“The Creator is the reason for the existence of everything, part of the spirit of the Creator exists in everything, and therefore all things are connected.” (Larry P. Aitken, Chippewa)
The Creator created nature, people and all things as an interconnected system. Everything is connected to each other. This connection exists in Invisible World. Just as the parts of our body are parts of the body - the parts are separate, but also connected. If one part of our body experiences pain, everything considers the pain to be its own. In other words, the pain of one is the pain of all. This is true for any interconnected system. Since we are all connected, we must respect and care for our Earth and each other.
Great Spirit, let me treat everyone today as if they were You.
“The Great Spirit is the one who takes care of us.” (Jimmy Jackson, Ojibwa)
The only place where our mind can find peace is when we concentrate on the Creator. Every day we must ask the Creator to guide our thoughts. When we look at our brothers and sisters, we should see the Creator in them. When we look at trees, plants and animals, we must understand that the Creator is within us. Our attention should be on the Creator. When we work, we do it for the Creator. When we are worried, we must pray to the Creator. When we are happy and joyful, we must understand that we feel the closeness of the Creator. By thinking with the thoughts of God, we create the world.
O Great Mystery, let me think of you today.
“The old people always said that it doesn’t matter who despises or ignores you, it doesn’t matter who doesn’t let you into their circle, you should pray for them, because they are just like us.” (Larry P. Aitken, Chippewa)
“In the end, nature will teach.” (Tom Porter, Mohawk)

Let's bury the hatchets of war and smoke the pipe of peace.

Probably no one will argue with the fact that the indigenous people of America have a special view of the world and man’s place in it. This is calm wisdom, understanding that the main values on earth will forever remain nature and life.
For you, pale-faced brothers and sisters, these are Indian sayings that reflect the entire philosophy of distant tribes.

Inside every person there is a struggle between an evil wolf and a good one. The wolf you feed always wins.

When the last tree is cut down, when the last river is poisoned, when the last bird is caught, only then will you understand that money cannot be eaten.

The soul would not have a rainbow if the eyes did not have tears.

In order to hear yourself, you need silent days.

Love the earth. It was not inherited by you from your parents, it was borrowed by you from your children.

Don't walk behind me - I may not lead you. Don't go ahead of me - I may not follow you. Walk side by side and we will be one.

Don't judge a man until two moons have passed in his moccasins.

It comes only when you stop looking for it and begin to live the life destined by the Creator.

Doing things right is very difficult, but as long as we do it, we are connected to the Great Spirit.

It doesn't take many words to tell the truth.

No answer is also an answer.

Even dead fish can float with the current.

A good person sees good signs.

Strive for wisdom, not knowledge. Knowledge is the past. Wisdom is the future.

Let my enemy be strong and terrible. If I overcome it, I will not feel shame.

The honor of a people lies in the footprints of a woman's moccasins.

A kind heart and a kind mind are what it takes to be a leader.

Knowledge is hidden in every thing. Once upon a time the world was a library.

If you are worried, go and sit by the river. And the flowing water will carry your worries away.

You can't wake up a person who's pretending to be asleep.

The one who is silent knows twice as much as the talker.

The child is a guest in your home: feed it, teach it and let it go.

A well-spoken word is better than a well-thrown axe.

Everything is interconnected. Whatever happens to the earth will happen to the children of the earth.

Why do you take by force what you cannot take by love?

Life flows from inside to outside. By following this thought, you yourself will become the truth.

The white man has too many bosses.

Don't trust old people who say it's honorable to die young.

Until every person knows peace in his soul, peace between nations is impossible.

If you notice that you are riding a dead horse, get off!

I was at the end of the earth. I was at the edge of the waters. I was at the end of the sky. I was on the edge of the mountains.

I haven't found anyone who isn't my friend.

Everything lies in front of you. Your path is right in front of you. Sometimes it is not visible, but it is there. You may not know where it is going, but you must follow the Path. This is the Path to the Creator. This is the only path that exists.

Inside every person there is a struggle between an evil wolf and a good one. The wolf you feed always wins.

When the last tree is cut down, when the last river is poisoned, when the last bird is caught, only then will you understand that money cannot be eaten.

The soul would not have a rainbow if the eyes did not have tears.

In order to hear yourself, you need silent days.

Love the earth. It was not inherited by you from your parents, it was borrowed by you from your children.

Don't walk behind me - I may not lead you. Don't go ahead of me - I may not follow you. Walk side by side and we will be one.

Don't judge a man until two moons have passed in his moccasins.

Wisdom comes only when you stop looking for it and begin to live the life intended by the Creator.

Doing things right is very difficult, but as long as we do it, we are connected to the Great Spirit.

It doesn't take many words to tell the truth.

No answer is also an answer.

Even dead fish can float with the current.

A good person sees good signs.

Strive for wisdom, not knowledge. Knowledge is the past. Wisdom is the future.

Let my enemy be strong and terrible. If I overcome it, I will not feel shame.

The honor of a people lies in the footprints of a woman's moccasins.

A kind heart and a kind mind are what it takes to be a leader.

Knowledge is hidden in every thing. Once upon a time the world was a library.

If you are worried, go and sit by the river. And the flowing water will carry your worries away.

You can't wake up a person who's pretending to be asleep.

The one who is silent knows twice as much as the talker.

The child is a guest in your home: feed it, teach it and let it go.

A well-spoken word is better than a well-thrown axe.

Everything is interconnected. Whatever happens to the earth will happen to the children of the earth.

Why do you take by force what you cannot take by love?

Life flows from inside to outside. By following this thought, you yourself will become the truth.

The white man has too many bosses.

Don't trust old people who say it's honorable to die young.

Until every person knows peace in his soul, peace between nations is impossible.

If you notice that you are riding a dead horse, get off!

I was at the end of the earth. I was at the edge of the waters. I was at the end of the sky. I was on the edge of the mountains.
I haven't found anyone who isn't my friend.

When the last river is poisoned, when the last bird is caught, only then will you understand that money cannot be eaten.

In the first year of marriage, the newlyweds looked at each other and wondered if they could be happy. If not, they said goodbye and looked for new spouses. If they were forced to live together in disagreement, we would be as stupid as the white man.

You can't wake up a person who's pretending to be asleep.

The Great Spirit is imperfect. He has a light side and a dark side. Sometimes the dark side gives us more knowledge than the light side.

Look at me. I'm poor and naked. But I am the leader of my people. We don't need riches. We just want to teach our children to be right. We want peace and love.

Even your silence can be part of prayer.

The white man is greedy. In his pocket he carries a canvas rag into which he blows his nose - as if he is afraid that he might blow his nose and miss something very valuable.

We are poor because we are honest.

Knowledge is hidden in every thing. Once upon a time the world was a library.

My son will never take up farming. Those who work on the earth do not dream, but wisdom comes to us in dreams.

We don't want churches because they will teach us to argue about God.

When a person prays one day and then sins six, the Great Spirit is angry and the Evil Spirit laughs.

Why do you take by force what you cannot take by love?

The old days were wonderful. The old people sat in the sun at the threshold of their house and played with the children until the sun plunged them into slumber. The old people played with the children every day. And at some point they simply did not wake up.

When a legend dies and a dream disappears, there is no greatness left in the world.

What is a man without animals? If all animals are exterminated, man will die from great loneliness of spirit. Everything that happens to animals also happens to humans.

One “take” is better than two “I will give.”

Don't walk behind me - I may not lead you. Don't go ahead of me - I may not follow you. Walk side by side and we will be one.

Truth is what people believe.

Even a small mouse has the right to be angry.

I suffer when I remember how many good words were said and how many promises were broken. In this world, those who have no right to speak talk too much.

Let my enemy be strong and terrible. If I overcome it, I will not feel shame.

He who tells stories rules the world.

Strive for wisdom, not knowledge. Knowledge is the past. Wisdom is the future.

It doesn't take many words to tell the truth.

Love the earth. It was not inherited by you from your parents, it was borrowed by you from your children.

The daily audience of the portal Stikhi.ru is about 200 thousand visitors, who in total view more than two million pages according to the traffic counter, which is located to the right of this text. Each column contains two numbers: the number of views and the number of visitors.

3. Indians of the 19th century said...
4. Indian mythology
5.
6. Tales of the Cherokee Indians
7. Conclusion

Speech by Indian Chief Seattle in 1854
“Diary The Great Leader from Washington announces that he wants to buy our land. The Great Leader also sends us a message of friendship and good will. He is very kind, for we know that our friendship is too small a price to pay for his affection. However, we will consider your proposal, because we understand that if we do not sell the land, the pale-faced man will come with guns and take it away by force. How can you buy the sky or the warmth of the earth? This idea is incomprehensible to us. If we don’t manage the freshness of the air and the splash of water, how can you buy them from us?”

Tatanka Yotanke (Sitting Bull), Sioux, 1831-1890
“I am a red man. If the Great Spirit had wanted me to be a white man, he would have made me one first. He has placed certain plans in your hearts; in mine he has placed other and different plans. Every person is good in his place. Eagles don't have to be Ravens. We are poor, but we are free. No white man guides our steps. If we must die, we will die defending our rights."

White cloud
When the last tree is cut down, when the last river is poisoned, when the last bird is caught, only then will you understand that money cannot be eaten.

In 1890, faced with the inevitable need to follow the path of white man's civilization, the leader of the Sahaptin tribe, Smohalla, said these words:
“You ask me to plow the land. What is it like: take a knife and gut your own mother? This means that when I die, she will not accept me into her bosom and will not allow me to rest in it. You require me to dig stones out of the ground. What is it like: cutting open your mother’s skin to get bones? This means that after death I will not be able to enter her flesh in order to be reborn in it. You require me to mow the grass, dry the hay, sell it and get rich, like the pale-faced ones. But how dare I cut off my own mother’s hair?”

Even more famous are the words of the leader of Seattle:
“... The earth is our mother. Whatever happens to the earth happens to the sons and daughters of the earth... The earth does not belong to us. We belong to the earth. We know that. All things are connected - like the blood that connects a family... We do not weave the web of life - we are simply woven into it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves.”

INin turn, the Indians were shocked by the consumer attitude of whites towards the environment, they were horrified by deforestation, plowing of the soil, and the senseless destruction of bison and other animals.
“It seemed to the Indians that Europeans hated nature itself - living forests with their birds and animals, grass-covered valleys, water, soil, the air itself,” - Dee Brown notes.

French Jesuits in Canada who preached the Word of God among the Hurons, Iroquois and Algonquins, drew attention to the fact that, despite paganism (in the Christian sense), the Indians are distinguished by their emphasized religiosity, not in the sense of strict observance of rituals, but in the moral understanding of this word. The famous researcher of tribal society Lewis Morgan, known for his works on the history and culture of the Iroquois League, notes their most interesting ritual - sanundatheyvata (“meetings for repentance”). He says that before everyone religious holiday The Iroquois had a ceremony of public confession. People gathered together, and everyone who wanted to confess took a thread of white wampum (a symbol of purity and truth), confessed their sins and promised to reform.

Rules of Life - Sitting Bull, Settle, White Cloud and other Indian leaders

- “You don’t need many words to tell the truth. He who speaks many words is a liar.”

- “I suffer when I remember how many good words were saidand how many promises were broken. In this world, those who have no right to speak talk too much."

- “What is life? It is the light of a firefly in the night. It is the breath of a buffalo when winter comes. It is the shadow that falls on the grass and melts at sunset.”

- “Love the earth. It was not inherited by you from your parents, it was borrowed by you from your children.”

- “When the last tree is cut down, when the last river is poisoned, when the last bird is caught, only then will you understand that money cannot be eaten.”

- “In the first year of marriage, the newlyweds looked at each other and thought whether they could be happy. If not, they said goodbye and looked for new spouses. If they were forced to live together in disagreement, we would be as stupid as a white man Human"

- "You can't wake up a person who's pretending to be asleep."

- “The Great Spirit is imperfect. He has a light side and a dark side. Sometimes the dark side gives us more knowledge than the light side.”

- “Look at me. I am poor and naked. But I am the leader of my people. We do not need wealth. We just want to teach our children to be right. We want peace and love.”

- “Even your silence can be part of prayer”

- “The white man is greedy. In his pocket he carries a canvas rag into which he blows his nose - as if he is afraid that he might blow his nose and miss something very valuable.”

- "We are poor because we are honest"

- "Knowledge is hidden in every thing. Once upon a time the world was a library"

- “My son will never take up farming. He who works on the land does not dream, and wisdom comes to us in dreams.”

- “We don’t want churches because they will teach us to argue about God.”

- “When a person prays one day and then sins for six days, the Great Spirit is angry and the Evil Spirit laughs.”

- “Why do you take by force what you cannot take by love?”

- “When a legend dies and a dream disappears, there is no greatness left in the world.”

- “What is man without animals? If all animals are exterminated, man will die from the great loneliness of the spirit. Everything that happens to animals also happens to man.”

- “One “take” is better than two “I’ll give””

- “Don’t walk behind me, maybe I won’t lead you. Don’t walk ahead of me, maybe I won’t follow you. Walk side by side, and we will be one.”

- "Truth is what people believe"

- "Even a little mouse has the right to be angry"

- “Let my enemy be strong and terrible. If I overcome him, I will not feel shame.”

- "He who tells stories rules the world"

- “Strive for wisdom, not knowledge. Knowledge is the past. Wisdom is the future.”

- “When you were born, you cried, and the world laughed. Live so that when you die, you laugh, and the world cries.”

Indians of the 19th century said...
In order to hear yourself, you need silent days.
Talk to your children while they are eating, and what you say will remain even when you leave.
There are many ways to smell like a skunk.
Before you love, learn to walk on snow without leaving traces.
Look first at the marks of your moccasins before you judge other people's faults.
The white man has too many bosses.
The child is a guest in your home - feed it, teach it and let it go.
The one who is silent knows twice as much as the talker.
Even dead fish can float with the current.
The soul will not have a rainbow if there are no tears in the eyes.
Don't judge a man until two moons have passed in his moccasins.
There is no death. There is only a transition between worlds.
A well-spoken word is better than a well-thrown axe.
If you have something to say, stand up to be seen.
Those who go to bed with dogs get up with fleas.
Inside every person there is a struggle between an evil wolf and a good one. The wolf you feed always wins.

Indian mythology
Among the Indians of Central America, the main place in mythology was occupied by myths about the origin of fire and the origin of people and animals. Later, myths appeared in their culture about the caiman - the patron of food and moisture and the good spirits of plants, as well as myths inherent in all types of mythologies - about the creation of the world.
When the Indians began to widely use maize crops in agriculture, myths appeared about the supreme female deity - the “goddess with braids.” It is interesting that the goddess does not have a name, and her name is accepted only conditionally, being an approximate translation. The image of the goddess unites the Indian idea of the spirits of plants and animals. “The Goddess with braids” is at the same time the personification of both earth and sky, and life and death.

After fundamental discoveries in psychology and sociology, interest in Indian culture rapidly increased. French anthropologists Lévy-Bruhl and Lévi-Strauss explored the consciousness of modern man through the prism of the Indians. Carl Gustav Jung and his followers (Joseph Campbell) studied the subconscious and archetypes based on Indian myths. Drug researchers Grof, Castaneda and others did the most to popularize Indian culture. In the wake of the psychedelic revolution, interest in traditional Indian cultures, where hallucinogens were widely used, increased significantly.
North American Indians, as a source of images, greatly influenced the romantic movement in literature and cinema. Thanks to fiction books and films about them, the average European knows much more about the Indians than about similar tribes in Africa, Asia, and Oceania.

Tales of the Cherokee Indians
(c) *** JES 2003 *** Yuri Shimanovsky
How the Milky Way appeared.
A long time ago, when there were very few stars in the sky, there lived a miller in the Land of Smoking Mountains. All his life he ground grain and sold the resulting flour, thus earning his livelihood.
One autumn day in the morning he discovered that someone had stolen some of the flour from the storehouse. The miller was surprised and alarmed. He knew for sure that no one in the village was a thief.
He carefully examined the storehouse, the house, the paths leading to the house, and on one of them he found a trace huge dog. The man was very scared. Never in his life had he met such big dogs. He spent the rest of the day in anxious thoughts, but without coming up with anything he went to bed.
In the morning next day He saw with horror that the flour had been stolen again. And nearby are traces of the same monster. Then he went to the council of elders to ask for help. One after another, the council members came forward with their thoughts, but all the proposals boiled down to the fact that the dog should be attacked and killed. The miller was resolutely against it, for it would be the height of madness to attack a dog that undoubtedly came from the other world.
Then the last of the elders stood up and said: “You can’t kill the dog. Let’s assume that this is so. But you can scare him, and he will forever forget the way to our village. Let’s do this. Let all the villagers hide tonight near the house where the miller lives "Let everyone take with them a drum, a rattle or something else that can sound loud. When the dog appears, we will light torches and make such a noise that he will be scared and run away." That's what they decided.
At night, when the stars became bright and the Moon had made half its way through the vault of heaven, people saw a huge dog. He came from the west. The moonlight played on his raised fur. The beast approached the storehouse and began to devour the flour.
At that moment the torches flared up. People jumped out from everywhere, beat drums, rattled rattles, shouted, and stomped. In a word, they made such a noise that it seemed like an unprecedented thunderstorm was raging in the Land of Smoking Mountains.
The dog darted around in the illuminated circle, looking for a way out. But people advanced, squeezing the ring. Then he crouched down, contracted like a spring and rushed straight into the sky. The dog rose higher and higher, scattering the stolen flour, until he disappeared from sight. And the scattered flour is still visible. The whites call it “The Milky Way,” and the Cherokee Indians call it Gil Lutsun Stanuni, which means “Where the Dog Ran.”

Rattlesnake's Revenge
This story happened in those ancient times when people could understand the language of animals.
The children were playing near their house while their mother was busy with housework. Suddenly the children began to call for help. The mother walked out the door and saw a rattlesnake crawling out of the bushes. The woman picked up the stick and killed the snake.
The father of the family was hunting in the mountains that day and was already returning home. When darkness covered the mountain gorges, the hunter heard a strange howling sound coming from all sides. He looked around and was horrified to find that he was surrounded by many rattlesnakes, which stretched their heads upward and seemed to be crying.
- What kind of trouble happened to you? - the hunter was surprised.
“Today your wife killed our leader, the Yellow Snake,” they answered him, “And now we are sending the Black Snake to exact retribution.”
“This is terrible,” said the man. - I'm sorry that your leader died. Forgive us please.
- If you are talking from pure heart, then help us. We don't need anything special. We will simply take your wife's life in exchange for the life of our leader. “I’ll agree for now,” the man thought, “and then we’ll see. After all, if I refuse, they’ll kill me right here.”
“Okay,” he said, “what do you want from me?”
“Go to your family,” the snakes hissed, “The Black Snake will accompany you.” When you enter the house, he will hide in the darkness at the threshold. Ask your wife to bring you water from the stream. That's all that's required.
The hunter went home, hearing the Black Snake invisibly flowing behind him. He returned after midnight, but his wife was waiting for him. The man sat down and asked for a drink. The wife filled the cup from the jug.
“No,” said the hunter, “I want fresh water from the stream.”
“Okay,” the woman answered, “and went out the threshold.”
The next moment there was a scream and, jumping out, the hunter saw that his wife was lying on the ground, bitten by a rattlesnake. Soon she died.
Then the bushes near the house began to stir and the Black Snake crawled out again.
“That’s not all, man,” he hissed, “listen, remember.”
And he sang a strange song.
“This is a prayer,” said the Serpent, having finished singing, “from now on let people sing this song when they see a rattlesnake.” Then they won't be touched. In addition, if by mistake one of the snakes bites a person, chant this prayer over the victim and he will not die.
Many centuries have passed since these events took place. But the Cherokees still remember the song of the Black Snake.

Why does the Possum have a bald tail?
The Possum's tail used to be nice and fluffy. It was a tail so magnificent in its perfection that the Possum sang songs and danced about it in the morning. Most of all, this irritated the Rabbit, who had no tail at all after the bear tore it off. And out of envy, the Rabbit decided to play a cruel joke on the Possum.
One day a general meeting was announced in the forest, with the mandatory attendance of all animals. At the end there was supposed to be an informal part and dancing. The Rabbit was asked to notify the animals about the upcoming event.
“Don’t forget to come,” he said, running past the Possum’s home.
“I’ll come,” answered the Possum, “but on one condition.” Pruskai will provide me with a special place. Since I have a truly magnificent tail, I need to be seated so that all the animals can see it.
The rabbit promised to give orders in this regard and even offered to send someone to prepare the tail properly. The opossum was flattered and agreed.
Satisfied with his plan, the Rabbit went to the Cricket, who was so knowledgeable in the art of removing body hair that he was nicknamed “barber.” The Rabbit explained the task to Cricket and went on about his business.
The next morning, Cricket came to Possum and offered to take care of the tail. Namely, wrap it around thin thread so that God forbid the tail gets dirty and wrinkled before the evening. The possum stretched out on the ground and closed his eyes, leaving the cricket to do its thing. And he got to work. With each turn of the thread, the Cricket bit off hairs on the tail, and did it so skillfully that the Possum did not notice anything.
Arriving at the meeting, Possum was pleased to take a special place, which, as Rabbit had promised, had been allocated. When it got dark, the dancing began. The opossum came into a prominent place and, tearing the thread from its tail, sang the song “Look at my tail.” The audience greeted the song with extraordinary excitement. Everyone danced around the Possum. Inspired, he sang the song “Wonderful Color of the Tail.” In response there was thunderous applause. “And how my tail spreads along the ground,” sang the Possum. There was an ovation all around. Never before has the Possum's tail attracted so much attention. “What wonderful fur,” the Possum sang. And then he realized that the noise around him was just homeric laughter. He looked down and saw that his tail was as bald as a lizard's. Not a single hair.
Silently, Possum left the dance and rolled on the ground for a long time in impotent anger. He still does this to this day when he doesn’t like something.

Grasshopper warning
Two hunters stopped in the forest for the night. They lit a fire, pitched a tent, and had dinner. When it got completely dark, a grasshopper began to sing nearby.
“Listen,” one hunter said to the other, laughing, “this crazy guy has until the fall to live, but he’s singing to himself, and he doesn’t even know.”
“I know everything,” the grasshopper suddenly said. “I even know that you won’t live to see tomorrow evening.”
The next day, the hunters were ambushed by an enemy and the one who laughed at the grasshopper was killed.

Enchanted Lake Atagahi
West of the Oconaluftee River, in the very heart of the Great Smoking Mountains, lies an enchanted lake of wondrous beauty. All Cherokees know about this lake, although none of the people have seen it.
It happened that another hunter came so close to him that he heard the noise of thousands of nesting wild ducks. But every time, coming to the place where there had just been a lake, a person found only a dry, cracked bottom. No birds, no animals, not even grass.
Since no one has seen the lake, some people claim that it does not exist. But this is not true. They say that if you spend the night nearby, you can see it in the early morning. The lake will appear to your eyes in the first rays of the sun, filled with sky-high waterfalls of mountain streams. The water is teeming with fish, and countless flocks of wild ducks and pigeons scurry above the surface. Along the coast you will see many animal trails.
The water of this lake is healing for animals. As soon as a bear, wounded by a hunter, enters the water, it instantly recovers.
And it is precisely for this reason that animals hide the lake from people.

How the Crane competed with the Hummingbird
The Crane and the Hummingbird fell in love with the same girl. She, in general, preferred the Hummingbird, which was as beautiful as the Crane was clumsy. But the latter was persistent, and in order to get rid of his claims, the girl set a condition - let both rivals organize a flight speed competition. She will marry the winner. The hummingbird was as swift as lightning, and the crane was heavy and clumsy. Therefore, the girl thought, the Hummingbird will undoubtedly win and everything will look fair. There was only one thing she didn't know. The crane can fly at night.
We decided so. The competitors start from the bride's house, fly around the world and return to the starting point. The one who arrives first will marry the girl.
At the signal, the Hummingbird took off like an arrow fired from a bow and disappeared from sight in an instant. At this time the crane was just spreading its wings and was heavily lifting off the ground. The hummingbird flew all day, and towards evening it stopped for the night. He was far ahead.
The crane flew slowly all day and all night. Shortly after midnight he passed the sleeping Hummingbird, and towards morning he stopped to rest by a stream.
In the morning, Hummingbird woke up and moved on, thinking about how easily he would defeat his clumsy opponent. Flying over the stream, he was amazed to find a Crane eating tadpoles for breakfast. The hummingbird, never realizing how this could have happened, rushed on and was soon far ahead.
The crane finished his meal and set off. When evening came, he continued to fly and passed his opponent sleeping on the branches at exactly midnight. The next day he won a little more in distance, and on the fourth day he was already eating tadpoles for lunch when the Hummingbird overtook him. On the fifth and sixth days, the Hummingbird arrived late in the evening. On the seventh day, the Crane was one night ahead of the flight.
Having refreshed himself in the morning with tadpoles and having had a good rest, he flew to the starting point where the girl was waiting. Arriving in the afternoon, Hummingbird saw that he had lost.
The girl declared that she would never in her life marry such a bore as the crane. In addition, she completely changed her mind about getting married.

Why does a vulture have a bald head?
Once upon a time, the Vulture had a beautiful crest on its head. So beautiful that the Vulture, out of pride, refused to eat carrion with others. And when other birds pecked at the body of a dead deer, wild boar or some other animal, the Vulture proudly walked nearby and said:
- No, my friends, such food is not for me. And you eat, eat. In the end, the birds got tired of this, and they decided to teach the proud man a lesson. They conspired with the Buffalo and he tore out the Vulture’s crest, and for one, all the feathers on his head.
Along with his crest, the Vulture also lost his sense of pride. Now he does not hesitate to eat carrion with others.