Dee Brown, Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, An Indian History of The American West:

"Contemporary Native American interviews are often ironic masterpieces, other flaming of poetic angry and despair."

"Some of the best and most reliable sources in terms of authentic Indian statements we find in the meetings of peace negotiations and other negotiations of a formal nature, 

as civilian or military representatives of the United States Government at the time arranged with the various tribes."

When the Indians spoke was usually a stenographer beside the official interpreter.

Even at times when the discussions took place far out in the wilderness was always one of those present to write down what was said - 

usually in the clear, since the interpretation was a slow and tedious work. The interpreters were usually half-breed, which certainly understood and spoke the language used,

but mostly could neither read nor write. Like most people without written language the Indians usually used imagery or metaphorical language when they would explain their thoughts, 

with the result that the English translation was characterized by lots of similes and metaphors drawn from nature. 

If an eloquent Indian got a bad interpreter, the result was a choppy and silly text. But on the other hand, the interpreter was skilled, he sometimes made even a simple speech sound like poetry. "

   

You have to look deeper, way below the anger, the hurt, the hate, the jealousy, the self-pity, way down deeper where the dreams lie, son. Find your dream. It's the pursuit of the dream that heals you.

Billy Mills (father), Oglala Lakota (1938-)

When all the trees have been cut down, when all the animals have been hunted, when all the waters are polluted, when all the air is unsafe to breathe, only then will you discover you cannot eat money.

 Cree Prophecy

I am poor and naked, but I am the chief of the nation. We do not want riches but we do want to train our children right. Riches would do us no good. We could not take them with us to the other world. We do not want riches. We want peace and love.

Red Cloud Oglala Lakota Sioux (1822-1909)