Sad and beautiful. ( )

398.2

"[In this book] a Suquamish Indian chief describes his people's respect and love for the earth, and concern for its destruction." Source: Summary from the title page. "Chief Seattle lived from approximately 1790 to 1866, in the Pacific Northwest region of what is now the United States. He was a chief of the Suquamish and Duwamish Indians and was present at treaty negotiations that took place with the dominant white settlers in the 1850s. It was at one of those negotiations that Chief Seattle delivered a speech in his native tongue, a speech which has since--in a variety of forms--served as the basis of ecological movements around the world and from which 'Brother Eagle, Sister Sky' is drawn." Source: Book's dust jacket. " Susan Jeffers's paintings for [this book] combine the beauty of nature with the wisdom of Native American philosophy. 'My aim,' says Ms. Jeffers, 'was to portray people and artifacts from a wide array of nations because the philosophy expressed in the text is one shared by most Native Americans. . ." Source: Book's dust jacket

There's no reliable transcript of what Si'ahl said to his gathered people in March 1854. He was a Native American though, so we should just assume it was all about bears and deers, and leaping spirits, and the importance of harnessing renewable energy for a sustainable future. He didn't ride a horse, as he wasn't a plains Indian, but what kind of boring illustration would that make? I'd like to think that Chief Seattle invented the environmental movement with a searing vision-warning about our industrialised future and that he didn't just have a moan about being shuffled off to a reservation. Reading this, I can believe that he did. ( )

Beautiful and lyrical. Although basically a picture book, just had to have this wonderful book..

FROM AMAZON: The Earth does not belong to us. We belong to the Earth. The great American Indian Chief Seattle spoke these words over a hundred years ago. His remarkably relevant message of respect for the Earth and every creature on it has endured the test of time and is imbued with passion born of love of the land and the environment. Illustrated by award-winning artist Susan Jeffers, the stirring pen-and-color drawings bring a wide array of Native Americans to life while capturing the splendor of nature and the land. Children and parents alike will enjoy the timeless, poignant message presented in this beautifully illustrated picture book. ( )