I seek, I seek our fallen relations;
I go to revenge, revenge the slain,
Our relations fallen and slain,
And our foes, our foes shall lie
Like them, like them shall they lie;
I go to lay them low, to lay them low!

--A Chippewa war-party
addressing the woman on
leaving the village, ca. 1838.

Nothing lives long.
Only the earth and the mountains.

--Death song sung by White
Antelope (Cheyenne) before
he died at Sand Creek, 1864.

At the time of death,
When I found there was to be death,
I was very much surprised.
All was failing.
My home, I was sad to leave it.

I have been looking far,
Sending my spirit north, south, east
and west.
Trying to escape death,
But could find nothing,
No way of escape.

--Luiseño Song

The whole Southwest was a house
Made of dawn. It was made of pollen
and of rain. The land was old and
everlasting. There were many colors
on the hills and on the plain, and
there was a dark wilderness on the
mountains beyond. The land was
tilled and strong and it was beautiful
all around.

--Southwest Indian Song

"Take this horned Hat to wear when
you perform the ceremony I have
given you, and you will control the
buffalo and all other animals. Put the
cap on you as you go from here and
the earth will bless you." Made from
the skin of a buffalo cow's head, the
horns attached, Issiwun--the Sacred
Hat--thus came to the Suhtaio.

--The Story of Issiwun
(Northern Cheyenne)

Thank you Sam Silverhawk for your wonderful
background, bar and button set!