Prologue

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DISCLAIMER

**While writing this fictional story, I felt it would benefit the readers to have a glimpse inside the hearts of the Native American's plight during this country's westward expansion. Which encroached upon their tribal lands and culture. Therefore, the following quotes, found during my research, are included below for your better understanding.**



"This war did not spring up on our land, this war was brought upon us by the children of the Great Father who came to take our land without a price, and who, in our land, do a great many things.... This war has come from robbery, from the stealing of our land." – Spotted Tail

"There is no death, only a change of worlds."- Chief Seattle [Seatlh], Suquamish Chief

"When a white army battles Indians and wins, it is called a great victory, but if they lose it is called a massacre."-Chiksika, Shawnee

"We are now about to take our leave and kind farewell to our native land, the country of the Great Spirit gave our fathers, we are on the eve of leaving that country that gave us birth, it is with sorrow we are forced by the white man to quit the scenes of our childhood.... we bid farewell to it and all we hold dear."-Charles Hicks, Tsalagi (Cherokee)) Vice Chief speaking of the Trail of Tears, November 4, 1838

"The land is sacred. These words are at the core of your being. The land is our mother, the rivers our blood. Take away our land and we die. That is, the Indian in us dies"-Mary Brave Bird, Lakota

"Everything on the earth has a purpose, every disease and herb to cure it, and every person a mission. This is the Indian theory of existence."-Mourning Dove [Christine Quintasket] (1838-1936)

"I am a red man. If the Great Spirit had desired me to be a white man, he would have made it so in the first place. He put in your heart certain wishes and plans, in my heart he put other and different desires. Each man is good in his sight. It is not necessary for Eagles to be Crows. We are poor... but we are free. No white man controls our footsteps. If we must die... we die defending our rights."-Sitting Bull, Hunkpapa Sioux

"I have heard you intend to settle us on a reservation near the mountains. I don't want to settle. I love to roam over the prairies. There I feel free and happy, but when we settle down, we grow pale and die."-Satanta, Kiowa Chief

"A long time ago this land belonged to our fathers, but when I go up to the river, I see camps of soldiers on its banks. Theses soldiers cut down my timber, they kill my buffalo and when I see that, my heart feels like bursting."-Satanta, Kiowa Chief

"We shall live again; we shall live again."-Comanche Ghost Dance Song

"We know our lands have now become more valuable. The white people think we do not know their value; but we know that the land is everlasting, and the few goods we receive for it are soon worn out and gone."- Canassatego

"How smooth must be the language of the whites, when they can make right look like wrong, and the wrong like right."-From Black Hawk, Sauk

"The ground on which we stand is sacred ground. It is the blood of our ancestors."-Chief Plenty Coups, Crow

"Among the Indians there have been no written laws. Customs handed down from generation to generation have been the only laws to guide them."-George Copway (Kah-ge-ga-bowh) Ojibwa Chief

"A very great vision is needed and the man who it must follow it as the eagle seeks the deepest blue of the sky."- Crazy Horse, Sioux Chief



** Retrieved from and credit given to the website: legendsofamerica.com **

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