I lift my hands unto the Great Spirit and worship him who has by himself created all things visible and invisible, who has blessed me with long life, who has set me upon my Mother among the Human Beings that respect his name and worship him with an unsoiled spirit and heart.

Many moons have passed and my memory flickers as a candle on a windy day that is ready to die out forever more. I have seen unspeakable things that have been committed against the Human Beings, hard to be spoken, the cry of the young for their mothers, and mothers for their children that will never return unto to them ever again.

The wisdom of our Elders died with our old a helpless people that embraced those who traveled across the deep waters, they came with a split tongue killed our people and fed them to their dogs, covering our Mother with a heavy blanket, killing our buffalo for sport, our land is sacred! Our Mother has nourished our fathers and our children and the creatures have given their life for meat and their coat to keep us warm.

They didn’t understand nor do they still understand the way of life, they despise the day of small things and raped our mother for gain and pleasure we must keep the decree of life and respect the land. Our Mother has been provoked and she will shake the heaviness that has been placed on her.

The blood of our children cries unto the Great Spirit. They cannot feel the fire of the heavens that nourished their existence that gave them their beauty. Oh Great Spirit this is a good day to die, I’m weak but ye are strong keep me in the right path which my fathers have taken back to you, I humble myself to be accepted in your most sacred presences.
- Shanawanikki Nations - Nippowa Tribe

When your time comes to die, be not like those
whose hearts are filled with fear of death,
so that when their time comes they weep
and pray for a little more time to live
their lives over again in a different way.
Sing your death song,
and die like a hero going home.
- Tecumseh