MESSAGE-

Chief Seattle who was a representative of the native settlers belonged to the Suquamish
tribe. In their difficult times, the tribe was proposed a treaty of land. The Whites would buy
their land and in return give them another land to settle and also protect them from their
enemies. The land held a lot of importance in the native man’s life, but the proposal was
wise according to their future. Seattle impressed people through his speech and made
them agree to this treaty without any war and respecting the sentiments of the native man.
There are many things that we learn from this speech.
First, we get the message about the firmness of promise. Chief Seattle remarks that his
words are not mere words, but they can be trusted upon like the presence of stars. He
assures that whatever he says is as reliable as the return of the sun and seasons.
Chief Seattle has also given a message of peace. He does not support war but condemns it.
He understands that due to revengeful thinking, the youth are satisfied but the older
generation who sacrifice their children bear the loss. In his speech, he has tried to convey
that the treaty does not lead to destruction. He has also put forth arguments in favour of
sentimental importance and the ecological responsibility of the tribal men’s land.
We also get to learn about the determination and intelligence of Chief Seattle. He also
considers the emotional value of the land and puts a condition that the natives should
never be restricted from visiting their land. They should always be allowed to visit the
graves of their family, friends and ancestors. This gives us a message of his determination
and firmness about the ethical rights of the Red Indians.
Finally, we also get a message that Chief Seattle was very proud of his culture, people, land
and traditions. He speaks about his culture with great respect and dignity. He strikes a note
of optimism when he says that his people will accept the proposal because it seems wise,
but they will not stop visiting their land in order to receive the blessings of their ancestors.

Chief Seattle remarks that despite facing the usual existential crisis, God has blessed his
tribe and his land for ages, but the future is uncertain.