I Was Born Where There Were No

I Was No Chief And Never Had Been, But Because I Had Been More Deeply Wronged Than Others, This Honor Was Conferred Upon Me, And I Resolved To Prove Worthy Of The Trust.

Late One Afternoon When Returning From Town We Were Met By A Few Women And Children Who Told Us That Mexican Troops From Some Other Town Had Attacked Our Camp, Killed All The Warriors Of The Guard, Captured All Our Ponies, Secured Our Arms, Destroyed Our Supplies, And Killed Many Of Our Women And Children.. When All Were Counted, I Found That My Aged Mother, My Young Wife, And My Three Small Children Were Among The Slain.

I Should Never Have Surrendered. I Should Have Fought Until I Was The Last Man Alive.

When A Child My Mother Taught Me The Legends Of Our People; Taught Me Of The Sun And Sky, The Moon And Stars, The Clouds And Storms. She Also Taught Me To Kneel And Pray To Usen For Strength, Health, Wisdom, And Protection. We Never Prayed Against Any Person, But If We Had Aught Against Any Individual We Ourselves Took Vengeance. We Were Taught That Usen Does Not Care For The Petty Quarrels Of Men.

I Was Born On The Prairies Where The Wind Blew Free And There Was Nothing To Break The Light Of The Sun. I Was Born Where There Were No Enclosures.