Only when the last tree has died
and the last river been poisoned
and the last fish been caught
will we realise we cannot eat money.
-- Chief Seattle, Chief of the Dwamish Native America
Wednesday, 15 April 2009
a matter of priority
Only when the last tree has died
and the last river been poisoned
and the last fish been caught
will we realise we cannot eat money.
-- Chief Seattle, Chief of the Dwamish Native America
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
This is a great speech. For the sake of historical accuracy, I think it's worth noting that Chief Seattle actually didn't say these words that are ascribed to him here.
A description of the way that these words, which are commonly ascribed to Seattle, have morphed over the years is available on wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chief_Seattle#The_Speech_Controversy
The version of the speech from 1887 is available from wikisource: http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Chief_Seattle's_Speech
It's notable that these lines are absent from that version; they were added later as the environmental movement gained steam. I think that properly sourcing these lines is important because of what these particular lines do - and do not - say about the way that Native Americans were more environmentally friendly than modern societies.
This is another favorite quote of mine. Glad you like it, too.
Thanks for setting the record straight.
Ricardo :)
Post a Comment