We believe that the spirit pervades all creation and that every creature possesses a soul in some degree, though not neccessarily a soul conscious of itself.  The tree, the waterfall, the grizzly ber, each is an embodied Force, and as such an object reverence. Ohiyesa/Dr. Charles A. Eastman Santee Dakota 1902

When I was ten years of age I looked at the land and the rivers, the sky above, and the animals around me and could not fail to realize they were made by some great power.  I was so anxious to understand this power that I questioned the trees and the bushes.  It seemed as though the flowers were staring at me, and I wanted to ask them, "Who made you?"  I looked at the moss-covered stones, some of them seemed to have the features of a man, but could not answer me.  Then I had a dream, and in my dream one of those small round stones appeared to me and told me that the maker of all was Wakan Tanka, and that in order to honor him I must honor his works in nature. Tatanka-Ohitika/Brave Buffalo (Teton Sioux) 1918

In every human heart there is a deep spiritual hunger for an abiding, steadfast faith, a positive satisfying belief in some future existence.  Such a faith stabilizes character, and many of our young people have no such anchor for their souls.  Thomas Wildcat Alford (Shawnee) 1930

In our way of life, in our government, with every decision we make, we always keep in mind the seventh Generation to come.  it's our job to see that the people coming ahead, the generations still unborn, have a world no worse than ours~and hopefully better.  When we walk upon Mother Earth we always plant our feet carefully because we know the faces of our future generations are looking up at us from beneath the ground.  We never forget them. Oren Lyons (Onondaga) 1990

Song to the Pleiades Look as they rise, rise Over the line where sky meets the earth; Pleiades! Lo!  They ascending, come to guide us, Leadig us safely, keeping us one; Pleiades, Teach us to be, like you, United. Traditional (Pawnee) translated 1904

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. All men were made by the same Great Spirit Chief. They are all brothers. The earth is the Mother of all people, and all people should have equal rights upon it. Chief Joseph (Nez Perce) 1879

When one examines the history of American society one notices the great weakness inherent in it.  The country was founded in violence.  It worships violence and it will continue to live violently.  Anyone who tries to meet violence with love is crushed, but violence used to meet violence also ends abruptly with meaningless destruction. Consider the history of America closely.  Never has America lost a war.  When engaged in warfare the United States has always applied the principle of overkill and mercilessly stamped its opposition into the dust.... No quarter, even if requested.  Consider Vietnam, where the United States has already dropped more bombs than it did during the last world war - a classic of overkill. Consider also the fascination of America's military leaders with the body count.  It is not enough to kill people, bodies must be counted and statistics compiled to show how the harvest is going.... Yes, violence is America's sweetheart. But name, if you can the last peace the United States won.  Victory yes, but this country has never made a successful peace because peace requires exchanging ideas, concepts, thoughts, and recognizing the fact that two distinct systems of life can exist together without conflict... As Indians we will never have the efficient organization that gains great concessions from society in the marketplace.  We will never have a powerful lobby or be a smashing political force.  But we will have the intangible unity which has carried us through four centuries of persecution.  We are a people unified by our humanity - not a pressure group unified for conquest.  And from our greather strength we shall wear down the white man and finally outlast him.... We shall endure. Vine Deloria, Jr. (Lakota) 1969