Native American Resilience Quotes

Every Indian outbreak that I have ever known has resulted from broken promises and broken treaties by the government

When I was a boy, the Sioux owned the world. The sun rose and set on their land; they sent ten thousand men to battle. Where are the warriors today? Who slew them? Where are our lands? Who owns them?

By the latter part of the last century, the Indians finally realized that … treaties were real-estate deals designed to separate them from their lands.

Since its inception, the government has broken and coerced treaties with hundreds of Native American tribes. And this is even worse when you realize that the native peoples of this land are negotiating for land that is, by all common sense and elementary school logic, their land.

We’re [Native Americans] portrayed as either the noble savage or the ignoble savage. In most people’s minds, we only exist in the 19th century.

I wish it to be remembered that I was the last man of my tribe to surrender my rifle.

I go to South Dakota for ceremonies when I have the time. And when you learn what the Indian peoples have gone through to hold onto their culture and traditions... wow, it's an amazing story.

It's a bit of a sore spot, the Thanksgiving in Indian country.

It's a weird thing. Reservations were meant to be prisons, you know? Indians were supposed to move onto reservations and die. We were supposed to disappear. But somehow or another, Indians have forgotten the reservations were meant to be death camps.

I'm proud of being part Cherokee, and I think it's time all us Indians felt the same way.

When it comes to American Indians, mainstream America suffers from willful blindness.

Indians were frequently off their reservations.

The one thing about Lumbee people is that there's so many stereotypes about Native Americans, especially reservation Native Americans, and we all tend to get lumped under that umbrella. But the Lumbee are non-reservation. I grew up no different than anybody would in normal American communities.

The old image of Tonto and the Lone Ranger was one that we, as Indian people, didn't care much for; it was kind of a second-class citizen.

I can't imagine what it must be like to be one of the indigenous people of the United States of America. I can't imagine watching the news every day - as people debate whose country this is and who should be in charge of it and how to make it great again - and hardly ever see your people brought into the discussion.

Even if severe wounds are given, the Indian has many chances in his favor, for his organization is somewhat different from that of white men, and he recovers easily from wounds that would kill any European outright.

A Century of Dishonor

Young people and Indian people need to know that we existed in the 20th Century. We need to know who our heroes are and to know what we have done and accomplished in this century other than what Olympic athletes Jim Thorpe and Billy Mills have done.

It was the tribes of the Lenni Lenape!... It was but yesterday that the children of the Lenape were masters of the world.

Those Montana Indians were so tough that white people were scared of them. Can you imagine a place where white people are scared of Indians and not the other way around? That's Montana.

The country can be rid of them only by exterminating them. [The Seminole Indians]

The turn of the century was the lowest point for the devastation of Indian culture by disease and persecution, and it's a wonder to me that they survived it and have not only maintained their identity, but are actually growing stronger in some ways. The situation is still very bad, especially in certain geographical areas, but there are more Indians going to school, more Indians becoming professional people, more Indians assuming full responsibility in our society. We have a long way to go, but we're making great strides.

The thesis of the book in your hands is that Native American history merits more than 9 pages.

As a Cherokee, I can attest to the fact that Native Americans have been on the losing side of history. Our rights have been infringed upon, our treaties have been broken, our culture has been stolen, and our tribes have been decimated at the hands of our own United States government.

You are stronger than we. We have fought you so long as we had rifles and powder; but your weapons are better than ours. Give us our weapons and turn us loose, and we will fight you again. But we are worn out; we have no more heart; we have no provisions, no means to live; your troops are everywhere; our springs and water holes are occupied … by your young men. You have driven us from our last and best stronghold, and we have no more heart. Do with us as may seem good to you, but do not forget that we are men.