The song and the drumming were like this: Behold, a sacred voice is calling you; All over the sky a sacred voice is calling.
BLACK ELKThe boys of my people began very young to learn the ways of men, and no one taught us; we just learned by doing what we saw, and we were warriors at a time when boys now are like girls.
More Black Elk Quotes
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Everything an Indian does is in a circle, and that is because the power of the world always works in circles, and everything tries to be round.
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I was four years old then, and I think it must have been the next summer that I first heard the voices.
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The Holy Land is everywhere.
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It is hard to follow one great vision in this world of darkness and of many changing shadows. Among those men get lost.
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I had a vision with which I might have saved my people, but I had not the strength to do it.
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The hawk swoops down on its prey, so does the Indian. In his lament he is like an animal.
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It is good to have a reminder of death before us, for it helps us to understand the impermanence of life on this earth, and this understanding may aid us in preparing for our own death.
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The Universe is circles within circles, and everything is one circle, and all the circles are connected to each other.
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He who is well prepared is he who knows that he is nothing compared with Wakan-Tanka, who is everything; then he knows that world which is real.
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Grandfather, Great Spirit, once more behold me on earth and lean to hear my feeble voice.
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It’s in the darkness of men’s eyes that they get lost.
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Out of the Indian approach to life there came a great freedom, an intense and absorbing respect for life, enriching faith in a Supreme Power, and principles of truth, honesty, generosity, equity, and brotherhood as a guide to mundane relations.
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And as he spoke of understanding, I looked up and saw the rainbow leap with flames of many colors over me.
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And I saw that the sacred hoop of my people as one of many hoops that made one circle.
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It may be that some little root of the sacred tree still lives. Nourish it then, that it may leaf and bloom and fill with singing birds.
BLACK ELK







