Chief Joseph
Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce (1840?-1904) was known to his people as "Thunder Traveling to the Loftier Mountain Heights." He led his people in an attempt to resist the takeover of their lands in the Oregon Territory by white settlers. In 1877, the Nez Perce were ordered to move to a reservation in Idaho. Chief Joseph agreed at first. But after members of his tribe killed a group of settlers, he tried to flee to Canada with his followers, traveling over 1500 miles through Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Montana. Along the way they fought several battles with the pursuing U.S. Army.
Chief Joseph spoke these words when they finally surrendered on October 5th, 1877:
'Tell General Howard I know his heart. What he told me before, I have it in my heart. I am tired of fighting. Our Chiefs are killed; Looking Glass is dead, Ta Hool Hool Shute is dead. The old men are all dead. It is the young men who say yes or no. He who led on the young men is dead. It is cold, and we have no blankets; the little children are freezing to death. My people, some of them, have run away to the hills, and have no blankets, no food. No one knows where they are - perhaps freezing to death. I want to have time to look for my children, and see how many of them I can find. Maybe I shall find them among the dead. Hear me, my Chiefs! I am tired; my heart is sick and sad.
From where the sun now stands I will fight no more forever.
Chief Joseph - Thunder Traveling to the Loftier Mountain Heights - 1877
(image is clickable)
From where the sun now stands...original collage 4 x 4"
Montana series #5
recycled tourist brochure
In
this post I wrote that some 35 collages were made by me during our two-month voyage from West to East USA this summer. And while we have returned to our island some four weeks ago, I am determined to report about this great tour; so far I have described it from Buffalo (Montana) to entering Wisconsin from Minnesota. The posts in the near future will deal about this trip, but also about the recent weeks with our children on St. Maarten, with a collage in between every now and then.
It may be confusing, but I will try to be clear about the where- and whenabouts!
The above collage I made while we were still in Montana, and while we were still encountering Native American issues and stories. It struck me that to some extend the situation for many people in this world is still very actual, like described in the words of Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce tribe a long time ago. And I don't talk about Native Americans necessarily, but think about countries with wars going on that never seem to be ended, with natural disasters that hit these countries time and again. So much to do for all of us...
Anyhow, forgive me these reflective words, I am wishing you a great summer weekend!
Regina
Heart Mountain
