𝗖𝗛𝗜𝗘𝗙 𝗦𝗘𝗔𝗧𝗧𝗟𝗘'𝗦 𝗧𝗥𝗔𝗡𝗦𝗟𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗗 𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗗𝗦 𝗧𝗢 𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗥𝗜𝗧𝗢𝗥𝗜𝗔𝗟 𝗚𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗡𝗢𝗥 𝗜𝗦𝗦𝗔𝗖 𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗡𝗦 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗟𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗣𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗜𝗗𝗘𝗡𝗧 𝗙𝗥𝗔𝗡𝗞𝗟𝗜𝗡 𝗣𝗜𝗘𝗥𝗖𝗘

 From the editor:  Below is a "fragment" of an oration by Chief Seattle in 1854 as his was the first signature on the Treaty of Point Elliot ceding 2.5 million acres of Duwamish and Suquamish lands to the Washington Territory.  

Chief Seattle's words, spoken in Lushootseed, translated to Chinook, then English, have been considered suspect, but thirty years later were read to tribal elders who agreed that the sentiment accurately reflected the tribe's view.

Seattle also sent a letter to President Franklin Pierce in 1855, essentially saying the same thing.

BTW, Seattle was baptized as a Catholic in 1848 by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate in Olympia.

Chief Seattle

"This shining water that moves in the streams and rivers is not just water but the blood of our ancestors. 

If we sell you our land, you must remember that it is sacred, and that each ghostly reflection in the clear water of the lakes tells of events and memories in the life of my people. 

The water's murmur is the voice of my father's father. The rivers are our brothers, they quench our thirst. The rivers carry our canoes, and feed our children. 

If we sell you our land, you must remember, and teach your children, that the rivers are our brothers, and yours, and you must henceforth give rivers the kindness you would give any brother.".