Where are the Buffalo. Gone.
Where are the Buffalo. Gone. belongs to the following groups:
Spirit of the Native AmericanI joined RB 5 weeks today, in that time I have been with RB and surrounded by such wonderful artists and seeing all their great works of art, I have slowly become more aware of the rareity of our wild beasts, there are so many on the endangered list and it scares me to think that our grandchildren may be the last to see these great and wonderous creatures. Today on looking at the recent page I came across a picture by artist Richardredhawk called Memories of yesteryear, and this famous speech came into my mind,
Where are the Buffalo. Gone. Written by Chief Seattle to President Franklin Pierce, 1855.
The great chief in Washington sends word that he wishes to buy our land, How can you buy or sell the sky, the warmth of the land, the idea is strange to us, yet we do not own the freshness of the air or the sparkle of the water, how can you buy them from us, every part of this earth is sacred to my people.
We know the white man does not understand our ways, One portion of the land is the same to him as the next, for he is a stranger who comes in the night and takes from the land whatever he needs. The earth is not his brother but his enemy and when he has conquered it he moves on. He leaves his father’s graves and his children’s birthright is forgotton.
There is no quiet place in the white man’s cities. No place to hear the leaves of spring or the rustle of insect wings, but perhaps because I am a savage and do not understand – the clatter only seems to insult the ears, and what is there to life if a man cannot hear the lovely cry of the whippoowill or the arguments of the frog around the pond at night.
The whites too shall pass – perhaps sooner than other tribes, continue to contaminate your bed and you will one night suffocate in your own waste. When the buffalo are all slaughtered, the wild horses all tamed, the secret corners of the forest heavy with the scent of many men, and the view of the ripe hill blotted by talking wires.
Where is the eagle. Gone. Where is the buffalo. Gone. And what is it to say goodbye to the swift and the hunt, the end of living and the beginning of survival.
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I hope you hear these lovely words, and I think now is the time to act and try and do something about the saving of this planet of ours, we are all residents of this great earth and we have the brains to do something about, lets try and manage with what we got and not what we want, because this earth has to last, otherwise what is the point. Because this great man was right, we is only just surviving, but our creatures are not, is it us next I wonder and pray that it is not
Mariaan Krog A...
Strong writing. Excellent reminder of how we seem to forget that the land and its creatures are only on loan to us and that one day it may well be gone forever! Thanks for the reminder and this glorious piece of writing too!
dawndavies replied
I am glad that you liked it, it moved me too, many thanks Dawnx
Jim Caldwell
I don’t wanna disagree but, there are Bald Eagles by the drove in Missouri, Bison a plenty, here and there. I have photos of a lot of come back species. Check me out.
Love
photos40
Great piece. As Mr. Jim implied there are lots of comeback species, but in those days the Indians had to watch as the White man decimated them to the point of extinction. Will man ever learn to live in harmony wiyh his world that exists beyond his own tunnel vision.!!!!!!!!!!
pinkyjain
This is so beautiful Dawn. Wonderful. Thank you so much for sharing. We have to preserve & save what is left out there, not just the Animals & Birds, but nature as well
Gary Oram, Jr.
I think you are right. However, when the buffalo were slaughtered there were no caps set in place for harvest quota and people just killed, a shame. At present Enviro’s, politicians, biologists, and economist set the standard. It is a shame the Tazmanain Devil was slaughtered into extinction. What of the Dodo Bird? People will not let these atrocities occur again. I’ve veiwed your work. It is surrreal, with a hint of taboo into the other aspect of fundamental creativity. Keep up the good work.
G. Oram, Jr.
dawndavies replied
thankyou so much for liking this enough to let me know, i am so sorry to have missed this from you somehow, i was very new to this site and i still cannot figure out how i missed this thanks you Dawn
PanzDragoness
My favorite quote of all time…”They could not capture me except with a white flag. They could not hold me except with a chain”..Osceola Seminole~~1838
Ty for the fave..awesome gallery!
dawndavies replied
Thankyou so much for liking this, i found two old pictures in a local 2nd hand store and got them for my husband, this one and the ten red indian commandments, i thought their words on life so wonderful and felt it should be heard again, and what better place but on this rb site, thankyou for liking my gallery Dawn
Gary Oram, Jr.
No problem. I am not so dilligent myself.
dawndavies replied
thanks once again, i am thrilled that we got to meet in the end LOL Dawn
waarnie
This is so moving. I was thrilled to actually see a (lone) buffalo in Canada on my trip over there after I retired. Only one then, but they are making an appearance. Not like the Passenger Pigeon. Waarnie
dawndavies replied
so glad you liked this, it was from 2 old pictures i got for my husband from a 2nd hand shop, and when i read them both I just had to share Dawn
juice
very powerful writing…and so very true…keep sharing, writing and believing..you are making a huge difference to the delicate planet….thank you
dawndavies replied
wow thank you so much, i cannot take any credit, its the people of the past, from 2 very old pictures i purchased for my husband from a 2nd hand shop, too long these beautiful words have not been heard, dawn
Michael Oubridge
A truely beautiful piece Dawn, again it seems we are failing to heed the words of people who understood the land and how to treat it with the respect it deserves.
dawndavies replied
yes thats exactly how i feel too, awsome words, they did know best, what a shame they were so nearly wiped out, bet the are sitting up there now, saying how right they were, dawn
CATNIPMEOW
Wow Dawn this was so touching….....I loved all of the words and the sentiment is so REAL !
People unfortunately are 2 greedy to heed the words…......
dawndavies replied
yes i bet they are watching from up above and saying just the same thing, what a race we are at times, but not all of us thankfully,dawnx
coppertrees
I am sure they are watching,and are in great pain for us all. Again perfect
dawndavies replied
yes i agree with you totally, they must be in dispair, hope we all learn from them, dawnx
amarica
I am one who has been caught between two worlds. One, the white side of my ancestores stole the land from the Indian side of my ancestores. Perhaps that is why I can see both sides and hate the atrocities at the same time.
Mankind was given the responsibility to care for and nurture all life around him, not to destroy and rape it for his own lust. We do reap what we sow and everything comes with a price.
Wise words from this chief. Apparently unhead by those ears if fell on…Much like Washington today….....thieves are in control of the land….
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dawndavies replied
I gotta agree with you, what goes around comes around, i wonder what this great man would think of things if he were alive today, we are all humans and its about time we pulled together, no matter what beliefs we have, we need to pull together for better lives for us all and look after this dear planet and its creatures who cannot help themselves,dawnxx
Sharon Davey
OMG!!!!!!!! WOW Beautifully and Powerfull TRUTH WORK !!!!!STUNNING Work and Thankyou for Sharing Dawn GREAT WORK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
dawndavies replied
again this is amazing to think that their way of life is what we all should have been doing then and now,dawnx
Rosemaree
This is a great speach Dawn… I remember studying this in my Literature studies at University. It is amazing how many forget so quickly.
dawndavies replied
yes its sad, wonder what they think about this world now, dawnx
Rosemaree
When I was in the US last year I was lucky enough to go to several National parks and see the buffalo beginning their comeback.. I also bought a number of books about the history of the Native AMerican from their point of view… It was seriously painful reading what white man had done to other men. And to slay a whole species simply to control and desimate another group of human beings just breaks my heart… I am not sure that we have learned many lessons from this time either and that makes me very sad….
dawndavies replied
yes its so true, i just cannot understand this world of ours over the last two hundreds years, we seem to have become smarter but more backward too,dawnx
C J Lewis
Amazing words from an obviously very enlightened Chief of 1855…totally agree with what he has said…yet they still do not hear, or understand that Chief’s wise words…thanks for putting this up for all to read :)
dawndavies replied
many thanks for liking this piece, and yes they still does not listen,dawn
izzybeth
I am from the Pacific Northwest and Seattle was an often quoted. I miss the region so much thanks for reminding me of home through his words…
dawndavies replied
thank you so much for liking this reminder, i purchased two old pictures from a second hand shop and when i joined rb felt that these great words should be heard again, i truly wonder what he would have made of todays world,dawnx