I Have Spoken: American History Through the Voices of the Indians

Rating:
Summary: We Didn't Listen Then, But Now We Can With "I Have Spoken"
Review: Any "red blooded" American citizen would surely have a "red face" from embarrassment after reading the compilation of words and speeches from original settlers of our beloved country in "I Have Spoken, American History Through the Voices of the Indians." From those documents so meticulously collected by Virginia Irving Armstrong and introduced in this book for all to read, one concludes that even here in America, an atrocious holocaust took place.

The book tells the truth. It will make you mad. It will make you sad. You will feel ashamed to belong to the culture that was responsible for the near extinction of the once prosperous, peaceful people who just wanted to live life as they had been taught by their ancesters. Simple and earth loving.

"I Have Spoken" should be offered in every school as a learning tool on an important aspect of our American history. We made a mistake. We cannot bring them back, but we can read aloud what they said and feel their spirits.

The photos that were included in the June, 1971 and August, 1972 editions are sadly not included in the most recent copies for sale now. It's more of an impact to see their faces as well as read their words. I hope subsequent issues will reincorporate those photos, especially of the ones of the Wounded Knee massacre. "...I will fight no more forever." Chief Joseph, Nez Perce nation, 1877.

Rating:
Summary: We Didn't Listen Then, But Now We Can With "I Have Spoken"
Review: Any "red blooded" American citizen would surely have a "red face" from embarrassment after reading the compilation of words and speeches from original settlers of our beloved country in "I Have Spoken, American History Through the Voices of the Indians." From those documents so meticulously collected by Virginia Irving Armstrong and introduced in this book for all to read, one concludes that even here in America, an atrocious holocaust took place.

The book tells the truth. It will make you mad. It will make you sad. You will feel ashamed to belong to the culture that was responsible for the near extinction of the once prosperous, peaceful people who just wanted to live life as they had been taught by their ancesters. Simple and earth loving.

"I Have Spoken" should be offered in every school as a learning tool on an important aspect of our American history. We made a mistake. We cannot bring them back, but we can read aloud what they said and feel their spirits.

The photos that were included in the June, 1971 and August, 1972 editions are sadly not included in the most recent copies for sale now. It's more of an impact to see their faces as well as read their words. I hope subsequent issues will reincorporate those photos, especially of the ones of the Wounded Knee massacre. "...I will fight no more forever." Chief Joseph, Nez Perce nation, 1877.

Rating:
Summary: Let's Look at Ourselves Through the Eyes of Another Culture
Review: This is one of those books that you find laying somewhere burried in the back of the library perhaps covered in dust that has been long forgotten! Nevertheless, this is a little gem of a read! The main reason why I liked it so much was because of the eloquent creative and heartfelt ways in which the Native Americans conveyed all their messages. So genuine, trusting, and true were their words and not conjured up by money or greed.

Thie book Just might have even Americans of today looking at themselves and questioning our seemingly prevailing atrtitudes that "we are the best" and that "more" and "bigger is better"... It will have the reader questioning a Government's activity towards national expansion in the name of freedom, while opressing many others at the very same time. These "others", who, the reader will learn, actually taught settlers how to survive in the new frontier.

Among other reasons I liked this book is that it made me look at myself and learen something in how I live. "I Have Spoken" had me looking at our current lifestyles that we so embrace as "having it so good", as perhaps the total opposite, and that perhaps it is we, the people of today, who struggle more to survive in this convenient lifestyle, more so than ever did the native peoples to sustain their lifestyle!

As many at the time in history which this book covers, looked at Native Americans as "inferior", the reader will learn why many Native Americans began to look at the settlers as inferior. This is a refreshing change of opinions we may have been used to hearing in history, and a welcomed one at that!

Through the many eloquently expressed words of Native Americans the reader will guess that they they viewed our lifestyle as somewhat being "enslaved" by adopting and living in such a system that has us "working for..and oweing money" to be able to sustain ourselves and lifestyle. They recognized a stressful life in this resulting in menatal and physical sickness of which was virtually non-existent in their lives.

This book is a really thought provoking read and at least for me, has left me looking around at all so called "progress" in our culture and questioning whether it is really progress at all if it destroys the very gifts nature "God" or "The Great Spirit" has bestowed upon us to make ALL life possible.

I strongly suggest this read to anybody, especially those who seek to not see the world as something we "own" and can see that this notion is really the root of all humankind conflict with each other.

Another final thought this book inspired in me was perhaps looking at history through the eyes of other cultures around the world, and seeing how they came to be, so we shall better understand each other and accept each other's customs without forcing them to live and think as we do. Maybe this can go a long way in preventing conflicts with other nations. Read the book "I Have Spoken" and this review will then come into perspective for anyone who is reading it now!

Rating:
Summary: Let's Look at Ourselves Through the Eyes of Another Culture
Review: This is one of those books that you find laying somewhere burried in the back of the library perhaps covered in dust that has been long forgotten! Nevertheless, this is a little gem of a read! The main reason why I liked it so much was because of the eloquent creative and heartfelt ways in which the Native Americans conveyed all their messages. So genuine, trusting, and true were their words and not conjured up by money or greed.

Thie book Just might have even Americans of today looking at themselves and questioning our seemingly prevailing atrtitudes that "we are the best" and that "more" and "bigger is better"... It will have the reader questioning a Government's activity towards national expansion in the name of freedom, while opressing many others at the very same time. These "others", who, the reader will learn, actually taught settlers how to survive in the new frontier.

Among other reasons I liked this book is that it made me look at myself and learen something in how I live. "I Have Spoken" had me looking at our current lifestyles that we so embrace as "having it so good", as perhaps the total opposite, and that perhaps it is we, the people of today, who struggle more to survive in this convenient lifestyle, more so than ever did the native peoples to sustain their lifestyle!

As many at the time in history which this book covers, looked at Native Americans as "inferior", the reader will learn why many Native Americans began to look at the settlers as inferior. This is a refreshing change of opinions we may have been used to hearing in history, and a welcomed one at that!

Through the many eloquently expressed words of Native Americans the reader will guess that they they viewed our lifestyle as somewhat being "enslaved" by adopting and living in such a system that has us "working for..and oweing money" to be able to sustain ourselves and lifestyle. They recognized a stressful life in this resulting in menatal and physical sickness of which was virtually non-existent in their lives.

This book is a really thought provoking read and at least for me, has left me looking around at all so called "progress" in our culture and questioning whether it is really progress at all if it destroys the very gifts nature "God" or "The Great Spirit" has bestowed upon us to make ALL life possible.

I strongly suggest this read to anybody, especially those who seek to not see the world as something we "own" and can see that this notion is really the root of all humankind conflict with each other.

Another final thought this book inspired in me was perhaps looking at history through the eyes of other cultures around the world, and seeing how they came to be, so we shall better understand each other and accept each other's customs without forcing them to live and think as we do. Maybe this can go a long way in preventing conflicts with other nations. Read the book "I Have Spoken" and this review will then come into perspective for anyone who is reading it now!

Rating:
Summary: non-violent words at beginning of colonization
Review: We used this text at the University of Minnesota back in 1971 for a Native American History course. The book voices treaty interpretation and words used by Tribal representatives. I won't use the word "Chief's" because the Government did'nt always get the real leadership to sign treaties. But, we noted a lack of aggressive language at the beginning of colonization (east coast), but by the time we read text from treaties from the Plains Natives the verbage used more aggressive and warlike themes. Sum it up! Indians found the need to be aggressive and began to use words to voice their frustrations with negotiations with Government respresentatives.

Rating:
Summary: non-violent words at beginning of colonization
Review: We used this text at the University of Minnesota back in 1971 for a Native American History course. The book voices treaty interpretation and words used by Tribal representatives. I won't use the word "Chief's" because the Government did'nt always get the real leadership to sign treaties. But, we noted a lack of aggressive language at the beginning of colonization (east coast), but by the time we read text from treaties from the Plains Natives the verbage used more aggressive and warlike themes. Sum it up! Indians found the need to be aggressive and began to use words to voice their frustrations with negotiations with Government respresentatives.