Indigenous culture is largely based off of the elements throughout earth. The connection between the Native Americans and the earth has historically driven culture and tradition within their community and continues to do so today. The poem “Earth Teach Me”, a Ute prayer and Chief Seattle’s Speech, illustrate the earth as the backbone of Native American culture and reveals the drive for tradition and unification initiated from the simplistic ways of the earth.
The entirety of the poem is based off of what the Native American culture has learned from the earth. The idea of a culture solely learning and creating tradition off of nature exposes the willingness to accept that they are not the most powerful force in the world. Unlike a lot of other cultures, the Native American culture views the earth as an admirable figure of power. They serve the earth, rather than having the earth serve them. A line from the poem that exemplifies the respect and trust for the earth is: “Earth teach me to forget myself ~ as melted snow forgets its life.” This particular line stood out, because it epitomizes the selflessness of the Native American culture. The writer of this Ute prayer reflects on how they are not very concerned with themselves, and they allow the earth to remind them and teach them to stay humble. Contrary to white society, they ask the earth to teach them, instead of teaching the earth to cater to them. This reliance on the earth that Indigenous people have has been prevalent from the beginning of their culture and they continue tradition through the earth’s simplicity. They are open to learning and living in terms of the earth and that is what gives them their strength.
The second source that I found to have similar content in regards to the relationship that the Native Americans have for with the earth was Chief Seattle’s Speech. Beyond the drive for tradition, and the urge to be taught by the earth, the Indians have an immense amount of respect and sacredness for nature. In the Native American culture and according to Chief Seattle, you are not able to own the earth. To them, land, water, and sky are unobtainable. Chief Seattle states: “The perfumed flowers are our sisters, the deer, the horse, the great eagle, these are our brothers. The rocky crests, the juices in the meadows, the body heat of the pony, and the man, all belong to the same family” (Seattle, 1854). To them it is not a matter of superiority, but a sense of unification between people and the earth. When they are asked to give up their land, it is more than the materialistic value that most people think they are “buying”. It is as if they are giving up a piece of themselves, because in the words of Chief Seattle, “We are part of the Earth and it is part of us.” The white man does not understand the sacredness and respect for land as the Native Americans do. This is why when the “Great Chief in Washington” wishes to by land; the Native Americans are skeptical to give them their land, with the realization of them not treating it as they should. “This we know – the Earth does not belong to man – man belongs to the Earth.” This line from his speech puts the thoughts of their culture into an eloquent phrase. Without the earth, there is no man, and this is something white society has failed to recognize.
In terms of finding significance in the language of the poem itself, the content of the poem speaks loudly. The language seamlessly illustrates the intricate ways in which the Native Americans view the earth, and how they analyze the earth to gain understanding from it. “Earth teach me suffering ~ as old stones suffer with memory,” is one of many examples that shows how something simple, and often overlooked is appreciated in this culture. It is not just a stone, but a significant piece of earth that has suffered, and from that, they gain insight on how they should live and reflect on what the earth is trying to tell them. A line that particularly resonated with me was “Earth teach me to remember kindness ~ as dry fields weep with rain,” because it illuminates the feeling you get when you are deprived of something and then granted with the pleasure of it, into a simple metaphor. It is as if the Native American culture finds the metaphors in the earth and understands them on a level that many others, including myself have overlooked.
In the poem “Earth Teach Me”, we see the metaphorical and literal idea of the earth serving as a sacred basis of the Native American Culture. The connection that they have with the earth serves as both a teacher and unifying force within the Native American community. The relationship is unbounded and despite its opposing ideology to white culture, it continues to serve and prosper in the Native American culture.
The entirety of the poem is based off of what the Native American culture has learned from the earth. The idea of a culture solely learning and creating tradition off of nature exposes the willingness to accept that they are not the most powerful force in the world. Unlike a lot of other cultures, the Native American culture views the earth as an admirable figure of power. They serve the earth, rather than having the earth serve them. A line from the poem that exemplifies the respect and trust for the earth is: “Earth teach me to forget myself ~ as melted snow forgets its life.” This particular line stood out, because it epitomizes the selflessness of the Native American culture. The writer of this Ute prayer reflects on how they are not very concerned with themselves, and they allow the earth to remind them and teach them to stay humble. Contrary to white society, they ask the earth to teach them, instead of teaching the earth to cater to them. This reliance on the earth that Indigenous people have has been prevalent from the beginning of their culture and they continue tradition through the earth’s simplicity. They are open to learning and living in terms of the earth and that is what gives them their strength.
The second source that I found to have similar content in regards to the relationship that the Native Americans have for with the earth was Chief Seattle’s Speech. Beyond the drive for tradition, and the urge to be taught by the earth, the Indians have an immense amount of respect and sacredness for nature. In the Native American culture and according to Chief Seattle, you are not able to own the earth. To them, land, water, and sky are unobtainable. Chief Seattle states: “The perfumed flowers are our sisters, the deer, the horse, the great eagle, these are our brothers. The rocky crests, the juices in the meadows, the body heat of the pony, and the man, all belong to the same family” (Seattle, 1854). To them it is not a matter of superiority, but a sense of unification between people and the earth. When they are asked to give up their land, it is more than the materialistic value that most people think they are “buying”. It is as if they are giving up a piece of themselves, because in the words of Chief Seattle, “We are part of the Earth and it is part of us.” The white man does not understand the sacredness and respect for land as the Native Americans do. This is why when the “Great Chief in Washington” wishes to by land; the Native Americans are skeptical to give them their land, with the realization of them not treating it as they should. “This we know – the Earth does not belong to man – man belongs to the Earth.” This line from his speech puts the thoughts of their culture into an eloquent phrase. Without the earth, there is no man, and this is something white society has failed to recognize.
In terms of finding significance in the language of the poem itself, the content of the poem speaks loudly. The language seamlessly illustrates the intricate ways in which the Native Americans view the earth, and how they analyze the earth to gain understanding from it. “Earth teach me suffering ~ as old stones suffer with memory,” is one of many examples that shows how something simple, and often overlooked is appreciated in this culture. It is not just a stone, but a significant piece of earth that has suffered, and from that, they gain insight on how they should live and reflect on what the earth is trying to tell them. A line that particularly resonated with me was “Earth teach me to remember kindness ~ as dry fields weep with rain,” because it illuminates the feeling you get when you are deprived of something and then granted with the pleasure of it, into a simple metaphor. It is as if the Native American culture finds the metaphors in the earth and understands them on a level that many others, including myself have overlooked.
In the poem “Earth Teach Me”, we see the metaphorical and literal idea of the earth serving as a sacred basis of the Native American Culture. The connection that they have with the earth serves as both a teacher and unifying force within the Native American community. The relationship is unbounded and despite its opposing ideology to white culture, it continues to serve and prosper in the Native American culture.