“So live your life that the fear of death can never enter your heart.” “Where I am, I build my house and where I build my house, all things come to it.” “You must speak straight so that your words may go as sunlight into our hearts.”Ĭochise, Chiricahua 3. “What is man without the beasts? If all the beasts were gone, men would die from great loneliness of spirit, for whatever happens to the beasts also happens to man.”Ĭhief Si’ahl ( Seattle), Suqwamish and Duwamish 2. That said, here are 50 Native American proverbs, quotes and sayings that embody common indigenous values and principles.įor more daily proverbs and inspiration, check out Guy Zona’s Soul Would Have No Rainbow if the Eyes Had No Tears and Other Native American Proverbs, Terri Jean’s 365 Days Of Walking The Red Road: The Native American Path to Leading a Spiritual Life Every Day, or Kent Nerburn’s The Wisdom of the Native Americans. Like the best sayings, these simply point to certain truths at best, they are guideposts directing readers to deeper meanings that must be contemplated - and lived - to be useful.
What you see here are simply the memorable (and likely oft-misquoted) proverbs collected by an interested outside audience over the years. Of course, the best indigenous proverbs and sayings aren’t collected in books or blog posts curated by a bunch of white folks like me - they’re embedded in the oral stories, traditions and histories of Native American cultures to this day. The most memorable Native American proverbs can be practical reminders to embrace unity and an earth-based spirituality in daily life.
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