01: Chief Seattle’s Speech : Icse-x-english

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Section : I

There was a time when our people covered the land as the waves of a wind ruffled sea cover its shell-paved floor, but that time long since passed away with the greatness of tribes that are now but a mournful memory. I will not dwell on, nor mourn over, our untimely decay, nor reproach my paleface brothers with hastening it, as we too may have been somewhat to blame.

Qstn #1
What does the opening paragraph of 'Chief Seattle's Speech' imply?
Ans : The opening paragraph is the letter written by Chief Seattle as a reply to the President of Washington. Here he is referring to the offer made by Big Chief at Washington for buying their land. According to him, the time was fair then but in future problems might arise and whatever appeared changeless and eternal might change but his words were like stars which would never change. The great Chief at Washington could rely upon him as he could upon the return of the sun or the seasons. The Big Chief at Washington sent them greetings and goodwill. Chief appreciated this as he had no requirement for their friendship in return.

Qstn #1
What do you understand by," Yonder sky that has wept tears of compassion upon my people for centuries untold".

Qstn #2
Explain with the metaphor that how did Chief Seattle compare his people with that of Whites?
Ans : Chief Seattle said that the Americans were large in number. He compared them to the grass that covered the vast Prairies; the grasslands of America, whereas the Red Indians were few. They resembled the scattering of trees of a storm-swept plain. Using these metaphors, Chief Seattle was successfully able to describe the less number of his people as compared to that of Whites.

Qstn #3
Which offer was Chief Seattle talking about here? Was it generous to him? Why?
Ans : Chief Seattle was talking about the offer made by George Washington to buy their Native land. He said that American Chief wished to buy their land but was willing to allow them to live comfortably. It appeared generous to him as the Red Indians no longer had the rights to be respected. And the offer might be wise as they were no longer in need of an extensive country.

Qstn #4
How did Chief Seattle describe that once upon a time his people were numerous? OR
According to Seattle, why were the Natives no longer in need of the vast land?
Ans : Chief Seattle recollected the time when his people were large in number. They covered the land in the same way as the wind-ruffled sea covers its shell-paved floor. But that was long ago and the greatness of tribes had become a mournful memory and the Chief did not want to mourn over the untimely decay of his tribes as they were also responsible for it. As the number of Red Indians had reduced, they no longer need the extensive country.

Qstn #5
While talking about the buying of land, why did Chief Seattle become sentimental?
Ans : First of all the idea of buying or selling the land was an unusual thing for Chief Seattle. It is a natural resource and the whole life depends upon it. It did not belong to a particular tribe or race; it was a sacred thing for his men. Moreover, Earth does not belong to man; but man belongs to Earth. Chief Seattle said that once the Red Indians covered the land and it carried the memories and culture of his tribe. With the passage of time, the greatness of tribes had become a mournful memory which Chief Seattle did not want to mourn over. He did not even express his disapproval of the Americans.

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Section : II
Your God is not our God! Your God loves your people and hates mine! He folds his strong protecting arms lovingly about the paleface and leads him by the hand as a father leads an infant son. But, he has forsaken His red children, if they really are His. Our God, the Great Spirit, seems also to have forsaken us. Your God makes your people wax stronger every day. Soon they will fill all the land.

Qstn #1
Why did Chief Seattle blame his own man for losing their ancestral land?
Ans : Chief Seattle had been very much fair in presenting his views for the whites or his own men. He did not exclude his tribe from being responsible for the loss of their ancestral land. The youth as he said was impulsive. They indulged in revengeful acts and war had resulted in loss of their lives. They were responsible for the untimely decay of their people.

Qstn #2
What did the youth do when they became angry? OR
How did the youth react when they grow angry?
Ans : Chief Seattle described his men cruel and relentless when they became angry. They disfigured the faces of the wrongdoers with black paints. They became uncontrollable by the feeble old men and women. And it happened when the white men pushed their forefathers westward. But now he expected that the hostilities between them should never be returned as he did not want to lose anything.

Qstn #3
According to Chief Seattle, on what conditions the father in Washington would be his tribe's father too?
Ans : As the discussion of buying land was going on, Chief Seattle presumed that there would be a common father for both the Americans as well as Red Indians. King George had advanced towards North and moved his boundaries and sent them the word that the Red Indians would be protected only if they went according to him and if he protected the Red Indians then only he would be their father in real sense.

Qstn #4
How would Washington's men protect his race?
Ans : The valiant warriors of George Washington would act as a bristling wall of strength and their harbors would be filled with their wonderful ships of wars so that their ancient enemies like the Haidas and Tsimshians far to the Northward would stop frightening their women, children and old men. Then only he would be Red Indian's father and them, his children.

Qstn #5
How did Chief Seattle prove that White's God was different from theirs?
Ans : Seattle felt that the God of different races was also different. White's God loved His people only and hated Seattle's tribe. He folded His strong protecting arms lovingly about the paleface and led them by the hand as a father led an infant son. God made his people wax stronger every day. But he had forsaken His Red children.

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Section : III
To us the ashes of our ancestors are sacred and their resting place is hallowed ground. You wander far from the graves of your ancestors and seemingly without regret. Your religion was written upon tablets of stone by the iron finger of your God so that you could not forget. The Red Man could never comprehend or remember it. Our religion is the traditions of our ancestors - the dreams of our old man, given them in solemn hours of the night by the Great Spirit; and the visions of our sachems, and is written in the hearts of our people.