That All People May Be One People, Send Rain to Wash the Face of the Earth

Rating:
Summary: A masterpiece by a champion of American civil liberty.
Review: Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce, who was also known by his Snohomish name Hin-Mah-Too-Yah-Lahket, gave an interview to the North American Review in l879. This book is a reprint of Chief Joseph's account of the Nez Perce's dealings with their white brothers, the Nez Perce War of l877 which he tried so hard to avoid, and his people's imprisonment on reservations following his surrender. The final portion of the book consists of Joseph's plea that all people treat each other with respect and human decency and as equals. Hin-Mah-Too-Yah-Lahket expresses himself in nothing short of pure poetry. He is generally considered in the Northwestern United States (where he is a hero with a town, schools and numerous memorials named after him) to be one of the greatest Native American orators. This book is a must-read for 1) students of American history and 2) proponents of civil liberties. This edition does contain some strange spellings (e.g., Rutherford B. Hayes is here spelled "Rutherford Hays" and Hin-Mah-Too-Yah-Lahket is spelled "In-Mut-Too-Yah-Lat-Lat"). However, since Snohomish was an unwritten language, the spelling of Snohomish words and names is anybody's guess. I'm just glad that Mountain Meadow Press reprinted Chief Joseph's l879 article.

Rating:
Summary: A masterpiece by a champion of American civil liberty.
Review: Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce, who was also known by his Snohomish name Hin-Mah-Too-Yah-Lahket, gave an interview to the North American Review in l879. This book is a reprint of Chief Joseph's account of the Nez Perce's dealings with their white brothers, the Nez Perce War of l877 which he tried so hard to avoid, and his people's imprisonment on reservations following his surrender. The final portion of the book consists of Joseph's plea that all people treat each other with respect and human decency and as equals. Hin-Mah-Too-Yah-Lahket expresses himself in nothing short of pure poetry. He is generally considered in the Northwestern United States (where he is a hero with a town, schools and numerous memorials named after him) to be one of the greatest Native American orators. This book is a must-read for 1) students of American history and 2) proponents of civil liberties. This edition does contain some strange spellings (e.g., Rutherford B. Hayes is here spelled "Rutherford Hays" and Hin-Mah-Too-Yah-Lahket is spelled "In-Mut-Too-Yah-Lat-Lat"). However, since Snohomish was an unwritten language, the spelling of Snohomish words and names is anybody's guess. I'm just glad that Mountain Meadow Press reprinted Chief Joseph's l879 article.