Charles Eastman
Charles Eastman
Charles Alexander Eastmanwas a Santee Dakota physician educated at Boston University, writer, national lecturer, and reformer. In the early 20th century, he was "one of the most prolific authors and speakers on Sioux ethnohistory and American Indian affairs."...
NationalitySioux
ProfessionScreenwriter
Date of Birth18 September 1929
apart sees setting seven since
He sees no need for setting apart one day in seven as a holy day, since to him all days are God's.
deed either given indian names nicknames playful religious symbolic
Indian names were either characteristic nicknames given in a playful spirit, deed names, birth names, or such as have a religious and symbolic meaning.
war
The hospitality of the wigwam is only limited by the institution of war.
among created god men sons stood
Among us all men were created sons of God and stood erect, as conscious of their divinity.
conquerors despised generally native
The native American has been generally despised by his white conquerors for his poverty and simplicity.
mark true
But to have a friend, and to be true under any and all trials, is the mark of a man!
age period respects
Our old age was in some respects the happiest period of life.
credible deny either hero indian logical man miracles myths quite quotes stories
The logical man must either deny all miracles or none, and our American Indian myths and hero stories are perhaps, in themselves, quite as credible as those of the Hebrews of old.
temples
There were no temples or shrines among us save those of nature.
found men professed religion seeking spoke white
More than this, even in those white men who professed religion we found much inconsistency of conduct. They spoke much of spiritual things, while seeking only the material.
blood family friendship friends-or-friendship held loyal test whose
Friendship is held to be the severest test of character. It is easy, we think, to be loyal to a family and clan, whose blood is in your own veins.
chief clan larger natural several union voluntary
The clan is nothing more than a larger family, with its patriarchal chief as the natural head, and the union of several clans by intermarriage and voluntary connection constitutes the tribe.
commonly felt keeps nature sensitive spirit touch unseen
Nearness to nature... keeps the spirit sensitive to impressions not commonly felt and in touch with the unseen powers.
awe elements forces majestic regarded secondary spiritual
The elements and majestic forces in nature, Lightning, Wind, Water, Fire, and Frost, were regarded with awe as spiritual powers, but always secondary and intermediate in character.