How can you buy or sell the earth?

[marinol-girl]

My mom bought supplies to build a teepee a few years ago, and it came with this sheet of paper containing the following essay. It's not that long of a read and is really really good, so I thought I'd share.



How Can You Buy or Sell The Earth?


In 1854, the United States Government offered to buy two million acres of Indian land in the Northwest. Below is a translation of Chief Sealth's (Seattle) reply to resident Franklin Pierce in December of that year.
It has been described as the most beautiful and prophetic statement on the environment ever made.


The Great Chief in Washington sends word that he wishes to buy our land. The Great Chief also sends us words of friendship and good will. This is kind of him, since we know he has little need of our friendship in return. But we will consider your offer.

How can you buy or sell the sky, the warmth of the land? The idea is strange to us. If we do not own the freshness of the air and the sparkle of the water, how can you buy them?

Every part of this earth is sacred to my people. Every shining pine needle, every sandy shore, every mist in the dark woods, every clearing, and every humming insect is holy in the memory and experience of my people. The sap which courses through the trees carries the memories of the red man. So, when the Great Chief in Washington sends word that he wishes to buy our land, he asks much of us...

This we know: All things are connected. Whatever befalls the earth befalls the sons of the earth. Man did not weave the web of life; He is merely a strand in it. Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself. But we will consider your offer to go to the reservation you have for my people. We live apart, and in peace.

One thing we know, which the white man may one day discover -- our God is the same God. You may think now that you own Him as you wish to own our land: but you cannot.

He is the God of man; and his compassion is equal for the red man and the white. His earth is precious to Him and to harm the earth is to heap contempt on its Creator. The whites too shall pass; perhaps sooner than all other tribes. Continue to contaminate your bed, and you will one night suffocate in your own waste.

But in your perishing you will shine brightly, fired by the strength of the God who brought you to this land and for some special purpose gave you dominion over this land and over the red man. That destiny is a mystery to us, for we do not understand when the buffalo are all slaughtered, the wild horses are tamed, and the veiw of ripe hills blotted by talking wires. Where is the thicket? Where is the eagle? Gone. And what is it to say goodbye to the swift pony and the hunt? The end of living and the beginning of survival. So we will consider your offer to buy the land.

If we agree, it will be to secure the reservation you have promised. There, perhaps, we may live out our brief days as we wish. When the last red man has vanished from the earth, and his memory is only the shadow of a cloud moving across the prairie, these shores and forests will still hold the spirits of my people. For they love this earth as a newborne loves its mother's heartbeat. So, if we sell our land, love it as we've loved it. Care for it as we've cared for it. Hold in your mind the memory of the land as it is when you take it. And preserve it for your children, and love it... as God loves us all. One thing we know. Our God is the same God. This earth is precious to Him. Even the white man cannot be exempt from the common destiny. We may be brothers after all.


We shall see...

[Mescalito]

I was just thinking about this before. With the crazy populations i cant say it isnt nice to own some land. It essentially means its yours to do what you please with. Just because of that.. it doesnt mean that i would personally fuck the land by whatever means.. and maybe as a consequence cause the land next door or the land a million miles away to also change. What we do to the earth we do to everyone.

But i like the idea because it means that knowone else can go there and fuck with it. I am the protector through ownership if you know what i mean. Maybe i would grow a few crops. Give some plants for other animals to feed on. Provide habitats for them.. etc. Wouldnt it be awesome if by owning a piece of land though.. no matter how small.. if you could create your own laws there. So like a i buy a field and grow some bud.. and according to my law its ok to do so.. and also equally ok to smoke there.

But you then begin to see that the smoke could drift accross to someone elses land.. or the plants could cause an unwanted nutrient change for the crops in next doors land. Its all connected. Everythings connected! Thats the problem we have today. Because someone who 'owns' a big percentage of land decides.. say they want to make certain drugs/plants illegal.. it has knock on effects for everyone elses land.. because even if there are fucking fences around the whole thing.. people will always find a way to smuggle. So add political pressure.. if you dont do what we say then we wont buy so and so or wont export so and so. This is our law.. and it is right.. so it should be for every other bit of land.

Awesome post btw!

Edit: Ive always had little respect for acccess laws.. well for open or even fenced land. Houses are a bit different. But where there is a sign that says dont enter.. or restricted access.. or dangerous area.. it just tempts me. Curiousity may kill the cat.. but not me.. at least not yet. heh

Matt

[Beyonder]

Property is theft!

- Proudhon

[Mescalito]

But if there was no property would there not be no theft? Ahhhhh!

Matt

[Ego Tripping]

Go deep enough, the dividing lines dissapear.

[ac316]

What a concept. Ownership of land. I guess it's human nature to want to own things (well save for the natives). Our culture is more individualistic wheareas natives were more about the community.