Chief Joseph
Chief Joseph
Hin-mah-too-yah-lat-kekt, Hinmatóowyalahtq̓it in Americanist orthography, popularly known as Chief Joseph or Young Joseph, succeeded his father Tuekakasas the leader of the Wal-lam-wat-kainband of Nez Perce, a Native American tribe indigenous to the Wallowa Valley in northeastern Oregon, in the interior Pacific Northwest region of the United States...
ProfessionWar Hero
Date of Birth3 March 1840
CityWallowa River, OR
country heart men
When I think of our condition, my heart is heavy. I see men of my own race treated as outlaws and driven from country to country, or shot down like animals.
race racism waiting
The Indian race are waiting and praying.
country winter men
We did not know there were other people besides the Indian until about one hundred winters ago, when some men with white faces came to our country.
men white authority
I have asked some of the great white chiefs where they get their authority to say to the Indian that he shall stay in one place, while he sees white men going where they please. They cannot tell me.
mistake thinking animal
Some of you think an Indian is like a wild animal. This is a great mistake.
horse moving rivers
We gathered all the stock we could find, and made an attempt to move. We left many of our horses and cattle in Wallowa. We lost several hundred in crossing the river.
moving home people
General Howard informed me, in a haughty spirit, that he would give my people 30 days to go back home, collect all their stock, and move onto the reservation.
country lawyer chiefs
A chief called Lawyer, because he was a great talker, took the lead in the council, and sold nearly all the Nez Perce country.
rivers mountain suits
We were contented to let things remain as the Great Spirit Chief made them. They were not; and would change the rivers and mountains if they did not suit them.
brother war white
We had good white friends who advised us against taking the war path. My friend and brother, Mr. Chapman, told us just how the war would end.
native-american grizzly-bears deer
We were like deer. They were like grizzly bear.
men white-man land
For a short time we lived quietly. But this could not last. White men had found gold in the mountains around the land of winding water.
gun bigs powder
We damaged all the big guns we could, and carried away the powder and the lead.
country men thinking
We gave up some of our country to the white men, thinking that then we could have peace. We were mistaken. The white man would not let us alone.