A Great Man

Chief Joseph Not Speak With Forked Tongue

I absolutely adore Chief Joseph of the Nez Pierce. Joseph lived in the USA from 1840 - 1904 and fiercely defended his people's home from the onslaught of the white man. Finally, in desperation he declared, "I am tired of fighting.... from where the sun now stands, I will fight no more."

After seeing so many of his people wiped out he could see no other way.

The popular image we glean from Hollywood is that the American Indians of the wild west were violent savages that killed many a white man. Actually the reverse is closer to the truth. In fact, more Americans died in the American Civil War than in any other war the Americans fought in. They killed more of each other than the Indians ever did, and, the Indians killed very few of the white men compared to the number of Indians that the white man killed.

This is where so much sadness came to Joseph as he saw that even after the fighting had stopped, and confined to useless reservations, hardly capable of sustaining any life, that his people still died in droves from malaria and starvation.

I first heard of Chief Joseph on the album cover of a 1970s vinyl record entitled "All Good Men" by Beaver and Krause, very interesting music although certainly not everybody's cup of tea. I loved it and the more I learned of Chief Joseph, the more I loved Joseph.

Joseph, a man of true integrity and compassion, who became chief of his tribe at the age of 37, died of a broken heart at the age of 64 years, after being cheated by the lies of white men and treated as if a fool, again and again.

Joseph, a simple hearted brahminical minded individual has been quoted as saying many things but the one I love best is this:

"Our fathers gave us many laws, which they had learned from their fathers. These laws were good. They told us to treat all people as they treated us; that we should never be the first to break a bargain; that is was a disgrace to tell a lie; that we should speak only the truth; that it was a shame for one man to take another's wife or his property without paying for it."

I also love this statement which shows the purity of his heart, "The earth and myself are of one mind."

Joy to all beings