Chief Seattle Speech Summary in English by Chief Seattle

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Chief Seattle's speech is written by Chief Seattle.

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Chief Seattle’s Speech Story Summary in English by Chief Seattle

Chief Seattle, belonging to the Suquamish tribe, delivers a speech emphasizing reconciliation and accommodation. He speels to the white settlers in the U.S. He speaks about ecological responsibilities and respect for Native Americans '* land rights. 

He says the sky stands witness to the ups and down in the livers of his tribe.No two days are the same, but his words can be relied upon. He is thankful for the greetings of goodwill sent by Big Chief from Washington. He says, 'This is kind of him for we know he has little need of our friendship in return.'The white Chief offers to buy their land while assures them enough to live on. He considers it as a generous as well as a wise offer. The tribe does not need such a vast country.

               Earlier tribes covered the entire country. But now it is only a memory. He does not want to blame anybody for the decay. Everybody has had a share in the downfall. Youth is impulsive. When they get angry, the old cannot restrain them. He can only hope that the old hostilities never return. The young will seek revenge. Only the old people and women who stay at home realize the sad reality of war.

    Seattle goes on to say that he is assured protection by the good father in Washington. Their soldiers and ships will take care of the tribals against the Haidas and Tsimshians. But, will that be in reality? Both the groups worship different gods. The God of the whites will love and protect them only. He will not care for the Red children. Their God makes them stronger every day so much so that they are filling the land, whereas Seattle's people are being reduced in number. They are now orphans. With such a difference between the two communities, they cannot be like brothers. If they have a common God, He must be partial. He has given his white children the laws but nothing to the  Red ones, who had once filled this continent like the stars fill up the sky. There is nothing in common between the two groups of people. They are two different races with different destinies.  

To the tribals, the land where their forefathers had died, is scary, but the whites do not mind leaving their own country behind. The tenets of their religion were written on tablets of stone with iron fingers, and so, they can never forget them. For the Red Men, there was no such thing. They only follow the words of the elders and their own traditions. Those are written in their hearts.

Chief Seattle

When the white people die, they stop loving them, whereas the tribe's dead never forgets them. They return to comfort, guide, and visit the living ones. The two communities cannot live together. However, the offer is good, and, perhaps, they will accept it. They will retire to the reserved spaces. It does not matter where they spend the rest of their lives. There are not many days left. There is no hope. They are destined for sadness and a grim fate. They have got to be ready to meet their doom like an injured does at the footfall of a hunter.

    There are not many winters, not many moons for the once-mighty tribe that had lived happily in this land. There is no point in mourning over their fate. It is the law of nature, so no regrets. One day the whites will also have to follow the same fate. Maybe they are brothers, after all.

 The tribe considers the offer and lets them know the decision once it is made. But the thing is insisted upon. The tribesman will not be refused permission to visit the tombs of their ancestors, friends, and children. This soil is sacred to them. Even the lifeless rocks have many memories of events as those are rich with the blood of their ancestors and respond to the touch of their bare feet.

 

    The dead of the tribe like the brave men, mothers, happy maidens, and even the little children who had once lived here will love the living company in solitude. When the last of the Red will have died, the whites will consider them a myth. Later, when their grand and great-grandchildren will walk these paths, they might think they are alone, but actually, they will not be alone. At night, in silence, the roads and streets will not really be deserted but will be filled with the spirits of the dead who had once lived in and loved this beautiful land. The whites should be fair to the tribe and behave kindly. Therefathers, men and women, and children are not really dead. They have only passed away to another world.

Chief Seattle’s Speech Word Notes and Meaning

compassion – sympathy
eternal – permanent
prairies – wide areas of grassland
reproach – criticize
disfigure – spoil
restrain – check
hostilities – strong and angry opposition
forsaken – abandoned
prosperity – progress