Reader's Theater: Native American Trail of Tears
1. "Our land is more valuable than your money. It will last forever.
It will not even perish by the flames of fire."
2. "As long as the sun shines and the waters flow, this land will be here to give life to
men and animals."
Chief Crowfoot, Siksika (circa 1825-1890)
3. One does not sell the land people walk on."
Crazy Horse, Sept. 23, 1875
Chorus:
The ground on which we stand is sacred ground. It is the dust and blood of our
ancestors. Chief Plenty Coups Crow (1848 - 1932)
4. “They made us many promises, more than I can remember, but they kept only
one; they promised to take our land, and they did.”
Chief Red Cloud, Oglala Lakota (1822 – December 10, 1909)
5. "Only to the white man was nature a wilderness and only to him was the land
'infested' with 'wild' animals and 'savage' people."
6. "To us it was tame, Earth was bountiful and we were surrounded with the
blessings of the Great Mystery."
Black Elk, Oglala Lakota Sioux (1863-1950)
7. "We were like deer. They were like grizzly bears. We had a small country. Their
country was large."
8. "We were contented to let things remain as the Great Spirit Chief made them.
They were not; and would change the mountains and rivers if they did not suit
them." Chief Joseph
Chorus:
The ground on which we stand is sacred ground. It is the dust and blood of our
ancestors. Chief Plenty Coups Crow (1848 - 1932)
9. "Is it wrong for me to love my own? Is it wicked for me because my skin is red?
Because I am Sioux? Because I was born where my father lived?"
10. "Because I would die for my people and my country? God made me an Indian."
Sitting Bull (circa 1831-1890)
11. "I am a red man. If the Great Spirit had desired me to be a white man he would
have made me so in the first place. He put in your heart certain wishes and plans, in
my heart he put other and different desires."
12. "Each man is good in his sight. It is not necessary for Eagles to be Crows. We are
poor... but we are free. No white man controls our footsteps. If we must die... we die
defending our rights."
Sitting Bull
13. "When a white army battles Indians and wins, it is called a great victory, but if
they lose it is called a massacre."
Cheeseekau, Shawnee (1760-1792)
14. "They knew we were not strong enough to fight them. I labored hard to avoid
trouble and bloodshed. We gave up some of our country to the white men, thinking
that then we could have peace."
15. "We were mistaken.…. When the white men were few and we were strong we
could have killed them off, but the Nez Perce wishes to live at peace."
Chief Joseph
Chorus:
The ground on which we stand is sacred ground. It is the dust and blood of our
ancestors. Chief Plenty Coups Crow (1848 - 1932)
16. "Will we let ourselves be destroyed in our turn without a struggle, give up our
homes, our country bequeathed to us by the Great Spirit, the graves of our dead and
everything that is dear and sacred to us? I know you will cry with me, 'Never!
Never!'"
Tecumseh Shawnee
17. "I am tired of fighting. Our chiefs are killed.…
It is cold and we have no blankets. The little children are freezing to death. My
people, some of them, have run away to the hills and have no blankets, no food. No
one knows where they are — perhaps freezing to death…."
18. "Hear me, my chiefs. I am tired. My heart is sick and sad. From where the sun
now stands, I will fight no more forever."
19. "We live, we die, and like the grass and trees, renew ourselves from the soft
earth of the grave. Stones crumble and decay, faiths grow old and they are forgotten,
but new beliefs are born. The faith of the villages is dust now... but it will grow
again... like the trees."
Chief Joseph, Nez Perce (1840-1904)
Chorus:
The ground on which we stand is sacred ground. It is the dust and blood of our
ancestors. Chief Plenty Coups Crow (1848 - 1932)
20. "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."
21. "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."
22. "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."
Chief Joseph
Chorus:
The ground on which we stand is sacred ground. It is the dust and blood of our
ancestors. Chief Plenty Coups Crow (1848 - 1932)
(created by GGorospe, 2014)
Resources:
http://www.californiaindianeducation.org/inspire/traditional/
http://www.pbs.org/weta/thewest/resources/archives/six/jospeak.htm