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Luther Standing Bear Biography

Luther Standing Bear

Luther Standing Bear (December 1868 – February 20, 1939) (Óta Kté or "Plenty Kill" also known as Matȟó Nážiŋ or "Standing Bear") was an Oglala Lakota chief notable in American history as a Native American author, educator, philosopher, and actor of the twentieth century. Standing Bear fought to preserve Lakota heritage and sovereignty and was at the forefront of a Progressive movement to change government policy toward Native Americans.

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Luther Standing Bear Quotes

White men seem to have difficulty in realizing that people who live differently from themselves still might be traveling the upward and progressive road of life.

Men, White Man, People, White, Live

For the Lakota there was no wilderness. Nature was not dangerous but hospitable, not forbidding but friendly.

Forbidding, Friendly, Hospitable, Native American, Wilderness

Silence is the Mother of Truth, for the silent man was ever to be trusted, while the man ever ready with speech was never taken seriously.

Inspirational, Mother, Ready, Taken

Conversation was never begun at once, nor in a hurried manner. No one was quick with a question, no matter how important, and no one was pressed for an answer. A pause giving time for thought was the truly courteous way of beginning and conducting a conversation. Silence was meaningful with the Lakota, and his granting a space of silence to the speech-maker and his own moment of silence before talking was done in the practice of true politeness and regard for the rule that, "thought comes before speech. "

Meaningful, Native American, Talking, Begun, Beginning, Manner

Only to the white man was nature a "wilderness" and only to him was the land "infested" with "wild" animals and "savage" people. To us it was tame. Earth was bountiful and we were surrounded with the blessings of the Great Mystery. Not until the hairy man from the east came and with brutal frenzy heaped injustices upon us and the families that we loved was it "wild" for us. When the very animals of the forest began fleeing from his approach, then it was that for us the "Wild West" began.

Men, Animal, Blessing, White, Savage, Fleeing

The old Lakota was wise. He knew that man's heart, away from nature, becomes hard; he knew that lack of respect for growing, living things soon led to lack of respect for humans too.

Wise, Native American, Heart, Things, Growing

After all the great religions have been preached and expounded, man is still confronted with the Great Mystery.

Confronted, Expounded, Men, Mystery, Religion, Religions

Certain small ways and observances sometimes have connection with large and more profound ideas.

Connections, Ideas, Large, Observances, Profound, Small

The American Indian is of the soil, whether it be the region of forests, plains, pueblos, or mesas. He fits into the landscape, for the hand that fashioned the continent also fashioned the man for his surroundings. He once grew as naturally as the wild sunflowers, he belongs just as the buffalo belonged.

Nature, Native American, Men, Landscape, Hand, Soil

"Civilization" has been thrust upon me since the days of the reservations, and it has not added one whit to my sense of justice, to my reverence for the rights of life, to my love for truth, honesty, and generosity, or to my faith in Wakan Tanka, God of the Lakotas.

Honesty, Rights, Civilization, Reservations, Generosity, Sense

We did not think of the great open plains, the beautiful rolling hills, and winding streams with tangled growth as wild. Earth was beautiful and we were surrounded with the blessings of the Great Mystery.

Beautiful, Blessings, Native American, Rolling, Surrounded, Thinking

Knowledge was inherent in all things. The world was a library.

Knowledge, Library, Things, World

It is the mothers not the warriors who create a people and guide their destiny.

Mother, Native American, Warrior, Guide, Destiny, Mothers