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.
Interpretation
Life is a cycle of renewal and rebirth, similar to nature.
This quote by Chief Joseph reflects on the cyclical nature of existence, highlighting how life and beliefs evolve over time, much like the natural world. It implies that although individual lives and old beliefs may fade away, new ideas and life will arise, symbolizing hope and the ongoing cycle of renewal inherent in nature.
In practice
During a funeral, you could share this quote to emphasize the idea of renewal after death.
We do not want churches because they will teach us to quarrel about God. We do not want to learn that. We may quarrel with men sometimes about things on this earth, but we never quarrel about the Great Spirit. We do not want to learn that.
Let me be a free man, free to travel, free to stop, free to work, free to trade where I choose, free to choose my own teachers, free to follow the religion of my fathers, free to talk, think and act for myself — and I will obey every law or submit to the penalty.
It makes my heart sick when I remember all the good words and the broken promises.
If the white man wants to live in peace with the Indian, he can live in peace. There need be no trouble. Treat all men alike. give them all the same law. Give them all an even chance to live and grow.
The earth is the mother of all people, and all people should have equal rights upon it.
All men were made by the Great Spirit Chief. They are all brothers.
From the first day to this, sheer greed was the driving spirit of civilization.
Do you know what we call opinion in the absence of evidence? We call it prejudice.
You can know all there is to know about life and mankind, but what do you really know about yourself?
You should always take a religion at its best and not at its worst, from its highest teachings and not from the lowest practices of some of its adherents.
I act as the tongue of you, ... tied in your mouth . . . . in mine it begins to be loosened.
I'm interested when things are upside down - because there are so many possibilities in that one moment. There is a lot that is exposed.
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