BellaOnline Forums Travel and Culture Native American On Chief Seattle and The Making of a Myth

I saw your quote Phyllis, from Chief Seattle on another thread and it made me remember... my children went to sweat lodges when they were young.. often they helped the fire keeper... but these days they are far away from these teachings...

Yet when I went into my son's home, he is 25 and living independently, I saw a poster of Chief Seattle on his wall with his famous speech...

It made me realize that perhaps what I was trying so show them at a younger age perhaps suck some.

Then I went on a search for the speech today and found this site that proclaims that white man has made Native Amercians into whatever they felt like at the time to meet their psychologica or manefest destiny needs. Although this certainly may have occured, and certainly Chief Seattle is renouned and revered as well, is this not the stuff myth is made of? in this article written from the white man's perspective, is it not white person missing the boat yet once again?

Is it not that myths are made up of not linear truths but of the collective dream...? and as Native Americans interface with those people who came and took their way of life, and so profoundly changed it, as these groups intermingle the dream changes, new myths are created? in both arenas, both Native American and Anglo.

I would be interested in your commentary. Maybe I am way off base.

The Myth Of Chief Seattle

Whatever it is, where ever it came from, I love the Myth of Chief Seattle, and I certainly have no way to verify where those words actually came from... and whether it springs from the white race or the red race makes no difference to me because it teaches a universal truth that we all would do well to understand. Personally I think it comes from what has been learned by many though out the years from the destruction and trials so that we may hold a collective hope for the future, a memory of how it could be

Hi Arrow,

In regards to Chief Seattle (Sealth), the famous speech attributed to Sealth in 1854 was originally written by Henry A. Smith, 33 years after the death of Sealth.

You can read further information on that in an article I wrote quite some time ago at this link: Sealth, Chief Seattle

I did a lot of research on Sealth and often use guotes from that speech. Whether Sealth wrote the speech or any part of it is still debatable. However, his people do claim those words as truth from their beloved Chief. I prefer to attribute them to Sealth because of the person he was. I believe, like his people do, that the words in the speech would have been how Sealth believed. It is a good speech, regardless of who wrote it and I think Sealth would approve of it.

It is possible that the speech Sealth actually gave contain much of what was written down, maybe embellished a little here and there, but portrays the feelings and beliefs of Sealth. And yes, I agree, the words teach a Universal truth.

I have not yet read about the Myth of Sealth, but will do so in a minute then comment on that.

The many myths of Native Americans can fill a whole library. Each tribe has their own myths and mythological characters and legends. Yet they all have one basic truth/belief: a supreme being the call Creator or Great Spirit (and many other names in their many different languages - but they all refer to the One).

In Symbolic Myths of the Native American, I endeavor to portray the spirituality behind the myths, through symbolism. Native American myths from the beginning of their Creation have been handed down verbally. They did not write down the words. The Ancient Ones left messages for us about their myths in pictures and symbols (pictographs, petroglyphs, etc.).

It is quite possible that over time words have been added or left out when the stories were retold -- however, I do not think Europeans have much influence over Native American myths. Those who are familiar with the way Native Americans believe will be able to spot a "fake" right off.

You wrote:

Then I went on a search for the speech today and found this site that proclaims that white man has made Native Amercians into whatever they felt like at the time to meet their psychologica or manefest destiny needs. Although this certainly may have occured, and certainly Chief Seattle is renouned and revered as well, is this not the stuff myth is made of? in this article written from the white man's perspective, is it not white person missing the boat yet once again?

Back in the days of what was called the "assimilation and removal" (I strongly dislike those words for what they mean to those of the past who felt Native Americans had no rights), it is true in many cases that Europeans portrayed Native Americans as either savages or romanticized them to a point of mythical proportions to satisfy their (Europeans) own needs or to make their books more profitable. However, the Native American peoples have survived all the past history and still stand strong and noble in their own truths.

One person (European) I truly admire is Edward S. Curtis. He was a photographer and ethnologist who actually lived with many tribes for several years and recorded not only their language, myths, traditions, daily life, but captured the true people in the native habitat in memorable images. See Images of the Past for more information.

Wow! Abruzzi, in his article, really picked it all apart, didn't he?

To me it matters not why Sealth was chosen to speak to the Governor, or who wrote the words of the speech. I see Sealth as a typical Native American Chief who loved his people and Mother Earth. As Abruzzi noted in his article, Seatlh was made into the "white man's Indian".

I do not believe Sealth was above all, nor was he a saint or super hero -- he was a man who, as I stated above, loved his people and Mother Earth. I believe he would approve of the words of "his speech". But, people to the end of time will pick apart this speech as well as other things from the past.

One of my beliefs is to take what feels right to me, what helps me to grow spiritually, and let the rest go.

PS: I grew up in the Pacific Northwest and Chief Seattle was very highly respected by all natives of that area, (white or otherwise). He was a much loved man, and to this day is regarded as a man who had a gentle heart and much wisdom.

Thank you for your comments... the author certainly did pick things apart and as I said I have no way to verify but it is an interesting point of view and worth some consideration.

I guess one of the things that I am noticing is that although Native Americans do have their own myths, as you stated, their presence and interaction with this invading white culture has created a new overlay of myth, combined out of the cultural perspecitves from different directions. So when a child from either a more traditional Native American family or a child from a typical city subburb does an internet search of Chief Seattle they will see a story that combines many different viewpoints framed as a solitary truth, and since it is all so very hard to confirm or verify, a new image is created over time as to who this man was and what he means to the country.... for example, now that Chief Seattle is a "poster boy" so to speak for the environmental movement his power and projection shifts and in the minds of people everywhere he shifts, becoming more influential, more powerful. Certainly this would not have happened if some white guy didn't take the time to try to write it all down and embellish as he saw the "dream" nor would it have happened if Chief Seattle didn't say something of moment, of enduring nature at the time.

At first, in the article, when they said Chief Seattle claimed to see the buffalo being killed by men on the rail cars and that this would be impossible due to historical context I thought, well, maybe he was a shaman, maybe he could see.

But then they brought up the issue of the whipperwill, and that bird does not reside in the norhtwest, it became evidient to me that embellishment was all too likely and through it a new overlay of myth was created regarding this man and the challenges and changes he was present to whitness and endure and speak towards.

I think that it is highly likely that he said something quite profound and thought provoking or no one would have been moved to try to preserve or carry the message onward and the honored memory that the people carry of him is testiment enough. It is too bad that its exactness is lost under layers of interpetations by someone not of his own language or culture... but it is what it is and what it has become and it is what we have now.

I try to understand the difficulties between Native Americans and this dominant culture. I see great promise for them now that they are developing in ways that were repressed previously... and I so strongly feel that much of this must have to do with the freedom to practice their spirituality without hiding for fear of incarceration. To be able to openly pray, and dance and gather around spirit is significant.

There are new myths forming all the time. As culture changes the nature of the mythic stories will change. Only the best myths endure because they tell a story of value or of great fun. I think we will see more myths as time goes by regarding or resulting from the interface between Native American Culture and the standard American culture, and more springing out from the Native American side into the minds of middle America every where, as these people further reawaken their culture surrounded by and meshed into the world of technology, literature, travel, and economic changes, not as passive whitnesses as a repressed people but as dynamic creators.

We are all on a road of mythic change. Those who get to endure the changes well enough become the enduring storytellers that lead a community or a nation forward in perception and thinking and which can shape and mold a sacred dream... as we see in the enduring presence, story and words of Chief Seattle.

The Whipoorwill's range is further inland and not often seen near the coast. It is possible that the Nighthawk or Meadowlark was mistaken for the Whipoorwill. Also, the Whipoorwill is associated with visions and shamanism. If Sealth did in fact mention the Whipoorwill, it is possible he was speaking of visionary issues.We will never know for sure because of the men who, over time, changed words and embellished or omitted words.

Yes, new myths are being formed constantly. Over time myths are changed to suit the current society and popular beliefs -- however, I still hold fast that Native American myths and legends, told by a Native American, is closer to the original stories. Native American myths are a treasure that gives us knowledge of people of the past.