A Clarification Or Admission Is Needed
I say this sincerely, I've listened to Indigenous voices and believe that sometimes less is more. I now ask you to explain how their words don't call for humanity's unification and shared planetary stewardship. Instead, clarify how you interpret their words as a call for supreme authority and segregational control. Help me understand where my interpretation fails or acknowledge if you don't share the same ideologies as these Indigenous people, especially when promoting the landback movement. As an ally of the Indigenous, I stand against individualism, segregation, and separation.
"Warriors are not what you think of as warriors. The warrior is not someone who fights, because no one has the right to take another life. The warrior, for us, is one who sacrifices himself for the good of others. His task is to take care of the elderly, the defenseless, those who cannot provide for themselves, and above all, the children, the future of humanity." - Sitting Bull
"The earth does not belong to man. Man belongs to the earth. All things are connected like the blood that unites us all. Man did not weave the web of life. He is merely a strand in it. Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself." - Chief Seattle
"We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors. We borrow it from our children." - Chief Seattle
"Today, we have gathered, and we see that the cycles of life continue. We have been given the duty to live in balance and harmony with each other and all living things. So now, we bring our minds together as one, as we give greetings and thanks to each other as people. Now our minds are one." - Haudenosaunee Confederacy
"Then I was standing on the highest mountain of them all, and round about beneath me was the hoop of the world. And while I stood there, I saw more than I can tell, and I understood more than I saw, for I was seeing in a sacred manner the shapes of all things in the spirit, and the shape of all shapes as they must live together like one being. And I saw that the sacred hoop of my people was one of many hoops that made one circle, wide as daylight and as straight, and in the center grew one mighty flowering tree to shelter all the children of one mother and one father, and I saw that it was holy." - Black Elk
"If the white man wants to live in peace with the Indian, he can live in peace. 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 of Nez Perce
"Humans merely share the earth. We can only protect the land, not own it." - Chief Seattle
"All red races are born Socialists, and most tribes carry out the communistic ideas to the letter. Amongst the Iroquois, it is considered disgraceful to have food if your neighbor has none. To be a creditable member of the nation, you must divide your possessions with your less fortunate fellows. I find it much the same amongst the Coast Indians, though they are less bitter in their hatred of the extremes of wealth and poverty than are the Eastern tribes. Still, the very fact that they have preserved this legend, in which they liken avarice to a slimy sea-serpent, shows the trend of their ideas; shows, too, that an Indian is an Indian, no matter what his tribe, shows that he cannot, or will not, hoard money; shows that his native morals demand that the spirit of greed must be strangled at all costs." - Tekahionwake
"The first peace, which is the most important, is that which comes within the souls of people when they realize their relationship, their oneness with the universe and all its powers, and when they realize that at the center of the universe dwells the Great Spirit, and that this center is really everywhere. It is within each of us. The universe is circles within circles, and everything is one circle. And all the circles are connected to each other. Each family is a circle, and those family circles connect with each other and make a community. And the community makes a circle where it lives on the Earth. The community cares for that part of the Earth, but cares for it as a circle - which is to say in a cooperative and egalitarian way, where everybody is cared for, and everybody is respected. All things are our relatives; what we do to everything, we do to ourselves. All is really one. Peace will come to the hearts of men when they realize their oneness with the Universe. It is everywhere." - Black Elk, Oglala Lakota (Sioux)
"We are all indigenous people on this planet, and we have to reorganize to get along." - Rebecca Adamson
"Communism is the Horizon, Queer indigenous Feminism is the Way." - Nick Estes, The Red Nation
"As Native Americans, we believe the Rainbow is a sign from the Spirit in all things: It is a sign of the union of all people, like one big family. The unity of all humanity, many tribes and peoples, is essential." - Thomas Banyacya
"The indigenous understanding has its basis in spirituality, in a recognition of the interconnectedness and interdependence of all living things, a holistic and balanced view of the world. All things are bound together. All things connect. What happens to the Earth happens to the children of the Earth. Humankind has not woven the web of life; we are but one thread. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves." - Rebecca Adamson
"I joined the Communist party because of poverty, because of mistreatment, because things had to change. I was a leader. Speaking to people made them see our sorrows. After so much struggle, even made the government cry." - Transito Araguaria
"We can effect real change by pushing ourselves to engage in conversations with each other. That's the goal for all of us, as professionals and community members, especially if we are in positions of power to create, change, and understanding. Because we are guests on this land - nobody owns it." - Serena Mills
"It's not so much about focusing on the omission or belonging and all of us having a right to a home, but rather about introducing non-indigenous people to this land's accurate confederate history and the importance of relationship to land, despite the dominant worldview owning the land. All we're asking you to do is to remember, and remember with us." - Serena Mills
"I hope to contribute to a global warming of hearts and a climate change in human consciousness." - Q'orianka Kilcher
"Although wrongs have been done to me, I live in hope. I have not got two hearts. Now we are together again to make peace. My shame is as big as the earth, although I will do what my friends advise me to do. I once thought that I was the only man that persevered to be the friend of the white man, but since they have come and cleaned out our lodges, horses, and everything else, it is hard for me to believe white men anymore." - Chief Black Kettle
"Human consciousness determines what we do and how we do it. Consciousness is given order through a belief system. The reality of any belief system is expressed through ideas and values, which give us practical guidance. Ideas work together with values in a consistent, mutually affirming system. Ideas such as love, truth, and justice work according to values of caring, honesty, and fairness. The wise must also be just. Every society organizes itself politically, socially, and economically according to its values. For tribal people, who see the world as a whole, the essence of our work is in its entirety. In a society where all are related, simple decisions require the approval of nearly everyone in that society. It is society as a whole, not merely a part of it, that must survive. This is the indigenous understanding. It is the understanding in a global sense. We are all indigenous people on this planet, and we have to reorganize to get along." - Rebecca Adamson
My understanding is that these quotes, these indigenous people are anti-landback movement for indigenous people as a separate group and pro-landback for indigenous people as part of humanity in the sense that they emphasize the importance of:
1. Interconnectedness and interdependence of all living things
2. Holistic and balanced view of the world
3. Recognition of the indigenous understanding that all things are bound together
4. The need for cooperation, egalitarianism, and respect for all people and the earth
5. The understanding that humans are not separate from nature, but a part of it
6. The importance of living in harmony with the earth and each other
7. The need for a global consciousness shift towards caring, honesty, and fairness
8. The recognition that all people are indigenous to this planet and must reorganize to get along
9. The recognition for the need of humanity as a whole to return to the mind-set of altrusic communal living
These quotes aren't about taking land away from indigenous people; instead, they highlight the interconnectedness of all people and the land. They emphasize the need for a holistic and balanced approach to living on this planet, recognizing that we're all part of the same human communal. They're pro-landback in the sense that they stress the importance of caring for the land and acknowledging the indigenous understanding of our interconnectedness. This means recognizing that we're all part of the same human family, with a shared duty to protect the planet and each other—thus, no one has more say than anyone else; we are one. Tell me where my misunderstanding is or tell me you disagree with these indigenous people and those who share their view.
"Warriors are not what you think of as warriors. The warrior is not someone who fights, because no one has the right to take another life. The warrior, for us, is one who sacrifices himself for the good of others. His task is to take care of the elderly, the defenseless, those who cannot provide for themselves, and above all, the children, the future of humanity." - Sitting Bull
"The earth does not belong to man. Man belongs to the earth. All things are connected like the blood that unites us all. Man did not weave the web of life. He is merely a strand in it. Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself." - Chief Seattle
"We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors. We borrow it from our children." - Chief Seattle
"Today, we have gathered, and we see that the cycles of life continue. We have been given the duty to live in balance and harmony with each other and all living things. So now, we bring our minds together as one, as we give greetings and thanks to each other as people. Now our minds are one." - Haudenosaunee Confederacy
"Then I was standing on the highest mountain of them all, and round about beneath me was the hoop of the world. And while I stood there, I saw more than I can tell, and I understood more than I saw, for I was seeing in a sacred manner the shapes of all things in the spirit, and the shape of all shapes as they must live together like one being. And I saw that the sacred hoop of my people was one of many hoops that made one circle, wide as daylight and as straight, and in the center grew one mighty flowering tree to shelter all the children of one mother and one father, and I saw that it was holy." - Black Elk
"If the white man wants to live in peace with the Indian, he can live in peace. 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 of Nez Perce
"Humans merely share the earth. We can only protect the land, not own it." - Chief Seattle
"All red races are born Socialists, and most tribes carry out the communistic ideas to the letter. Amongst the Iroquois, it is considered disgraceful to have food if your neighbor has none. To be a creditable member of the nation, you must divide your possessions with your less fortunate fellows. I find it much the same amongst the Coast Indians, though they are less bitter in their hatred of the extremes of wealth and poverty than are the Eastern tribes. Still, the very fact that they have preserved this legend, in which they liken avarice to a slimy sea-serpent, shows the trend of their ideas; shows, too, that an Indian is an Indian, no matter what his tribe, shows that he cannot, or will not, hoard money; shows that his native morals demand that the spirit of greed must be strangled at all costs." - Tekahionwake
"The first peace, which is the most important, is that which comes within the souls of people when they realize their relationship, their oneness with the universe and all its powers, and when they realize that at the center of the universe dwells the Great Spirit, and that this center is really everywhere. It is within each of us. The universe is circles within circles, and everything is one circle. And all the circles are connected to each other. Each family is a circle, and those family circles connect with each other and make a community. And the community makes a circle where it lives on the Earth. The community cares for that part of the Earth, but cares for it as a circle - which is to say in a cooperative and egalitarian way, where everybody is cared for, and everybody is respected. All things are our relatives; what we do to everything, we do to ourselves. All is really one. Peace will come to the hearts of men when they realize their oneness with the Universe. It is everywhere." - Black Elk, Oglala Lakota (Sioux)
"We are all indigenous people on this planet, and we have to reorganize to get along." - Rebecca Adamson
"Communism is the Horizon, Queer indigenous Feminism is the Way." - Nick Estes, The Red Nation
"As Native Americans, we believe the Rainbow is a sign from the Spirit in all things: It is a sign of the union of all people, like one big family. The unity of all humanity, many tribes and peoples, is essential." - Thomas Banyacya
"The indigenous understanding has its basis in spirituality, in a recognition of the interconnectedness and interdependence of all living things, a holistic and balanced view of the world. All things are bound together. All things connect. What happens to the Earth happens to the children of the Earth. Humankind has not woven the web of life; we are but one thread. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves." - Rebecca Adamson
"I joined the Communist party because of poverty, because of mistreatment, because things had to change. I was a leader. Speaking to people made them see our sorrows. After so much struggle, even made the government cry." - Transito Araguaria
"We can effect real change by pushing ourselves to engage in conversations with each other. That's the goal for all of us, as professionals and community members, especially if we are in positions of power to create, change, and understanding. Because we are guests on this land - nobody owns it." - Serena Mills
"It's not so much about focusing on the omission or belonging and all of us having a right to a home, but rather about introducing non-indigenous people to this land's accurate confederate history and the importance of relationship to land, despite the dominant worldview owning the land. All we're asking you to do is to remember, and remember with us." - Serena Mills
"I hope to contribute to a global warming of hearts and a climate change in human consciousness." - Q'orianka Kilcher
"Although wrongs have been done to me, I live in hope. I have not got two hearts. Now we are together again to make peace. My shame is as big as the earth, although I will do what my friends advise me to do. I once thought that I was the only man that persevered to be the friend of the white man, but since they have come and cleaned out our lodges, horses, and everything else, it is hard for me to believe white men anymore." - Chief Black Kettle
"Human consciousness determines what we do and how we do it. Consciousness is given order through a belief system. The reality of any belief system is expressed through ideas and values, which give us practical guidance. Ideas work together with values in a consistent, mutually affirming system. Ideas such as love, truth, and justice work according to values of caring, honesty, and fairness. The wise must also be just. Every society organizes itself politically, socially, and economically according to its values. For tribal people, who see the world as a whole, the essence of our work is in its entirety. In a society where all are related, simple decisions require the approval of nearly everyone in that society. It is society as a whole, not merely a part of it, that must survive. This is the indigenous understanding. It is the understanding in a global sense. We are all indigenous people on this planet, and we have to reorganize to get along." - Rebecca Adamson
My understanding is that these quotes, these indigenous people are anti-landback movement for indigenous people as a separate group and pro-landback for indigenous people as part of humanity in the sense that they emphasize the importance of:
1. Interconnectedness and interdependence of all living things
2. Holistic and balanced view of the world
3. Recognition of the indigenous understanding that all things are bound together
4. The need for cooperation, egalitarianism, and respect for all people and the earth
5. The understanding that humans are not separate from nature, but a part of it
6. The importance of living in harmony with the earth and each other
7. The need for a global consciousness shift towards caring, honesty, and fairness
8. The recognition that all people are indigenous to this planet and must reorganize to get along
9. The recognition for the need of humanity as a whole to return to the mind-set of altrusic communal living
These quotes aren't about taking land away from indigenous people; instead, they highlight the interconnectedness of all people and the land. They emphasize the need for a holistic and balanced approach to living on this planet, recognizing that we're all part of the same human communal. They're pro-landback in the sense that they stress the importance of caring for the land and acknowledging the indigenous understanding of our interconnectedness. This means recognizing that we're all part of the same human family, with a shared duty to protect the planet and each other—thus, no one has more say than anyone else; we are one. Tell me where my misunderstanding is or tell me you disagree with these indigenous people and those who share their view.
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