Joseph chief
Chief Joseph , born towards 1840 and dead the September 21st 1904, of its true name Hinmatón-Yalatkit (breaking Thunder) was an Amerindian chief of the tribe of the Nimi' ipuu (Pierced-nose Indians).
He was born in the valley from Wallola, in the State of Washington, of a father Cayuse called Vieux Chief Joseph and of a mother Pierced-nose Indian.
He becomes chief of the tribe starting from 1871 following the death of his father. He was quickly implied in the combat of resistance against the invasion of the grounds of his people by the colonist S states-uniens, the situation being still worsened by the discovery of Or. A treaty, prepared in 1868 by the government of the the United States with an aim of évincer the Pierced-nose Indians of the grounds Gold bearing S, had caused a scission between the partisans and the opponents. Chef Joseph chooses the camp of the opponents and led resistance vis-a-vis the white. The general Oliver O. Howard was named to solve the problem but its troops were destroyed in a combat with White Bird Canyon.
Joseph gained even more than one dozen of battles against the army of the the United States but it realized that early or late its people would be exceeded of number. It led a forced retirement, the Poursuite of the Pierced-nose Indians, 2 100 km kilometers towards the Canada, taking along 750 warriors, women and children through the Rocky Mountains and the Missouri. The September 30th 1877, whereas they camped, famished, sick and exhausted with less than 65 km of the Canadian border, they were joined and attacked by the general Nelson A. Miles. They succeeded in holding the remote enemy during several days but ended up going the October 5th 1877. Chef Joseph then made a moving speech which remains still a model of eloquence to date.
In spite of the promises of Miles, the survivors could not turn over on their grounds and they were sent in the Indian Territoire (current the Oklahoma) where number of them died.
Joseph achieves several voyages to Washington, cd. in order to obtain the return towards the valley of Wallola (deformation of Wallamwatkain , name of the band of which he was the chief) which met only indifference on behalf of the government.
It was finally authorized to turn over to Colville in the State of Washington where it died the September 21st 1904.
Quotations
" All the men were created by the same Divine Spirit. We all are brothers. Our ground is the mother of all the human beings, and all should profit from its benefits in an equal way. I know that we others, Indiens, must change… We want only to have the same rights that the other men, we want to be like belonging to humanity. And when the Indian is treated by the white man commes any being human, then we will not know any more the war. We would like to be the children of same and only family under only one and single sky surrounded of the same country, and we request so that advienne."
" I am tired to beat me. Our chiefs were killed. Looking Glass died. Tuhulhulsote died. All the old ones also died… That which directed our young people, Ollokot, died. Oh! the weather is so cold and we do not have covers. Our small children die of cold. Certain people among my people are flee in the hills, they have neither cover nor food. Nobody knows where they went, perhaps are already dyings of cold. I want that one leaves me time to seek my children, and to see how much I can find some alive. It may be that I find them among deaths. Listen to me, known as with the Howard general whom I know his heart. Mine sad and is tormented. As from this day, place where the sun is held, I will fight never again! "
See too
Simple: Chief Joseph
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