Wisdom from Native Americans: Black Hawk

"We have men among us, like the whites, who pretend to know the right path, but will not consent to show it without pay!  I have no faith in their paths, but believe that every man must make his own path!"

--Black Hawk
Sauk

Wisdom from Native Americans: Thayendanegea

"No person among us desires any other reward for performing a brave and worthy action, but the consciousness of having served his nation."

-Joseph Brant (Thayendanegea)

Mohawk

Wisdom from Native Americans: Wovoka

"My young men shall never farm.  Men who work the soil cannot dream, and wisdom comes to us in dreams."
-Wovoka

Paiute, 1915

Wisdom from Native Americans: Teedyuscung

"When you begin a great work you can't expect to finish it all at once; therefore do you and your brothers press on, and let nothing discourage you till you have entirely finished what you have begun.

Now, Brother, as for me, I assure you I will press on, and the contrary winds may blow strong in my face, yet I will go forward and never turn back, and continue to press forward until I have finished, and I would have you do the same...

Though you may hear birds singing on this side and that side, you must not take notice of that, but hear me when I speak to you, and take it to heart, for you may always depend that what I say shall be true."

--Teedyuscung
Delaware