in their own words:
“do not misunderstand me, but understand me fully with reference to my affection for the land. i never said the land was mine to do with it as i chose. the one who has the right to displose of it is the one who has created it. i claim a right to live on my land, and accord you the privilege to live on yours.” – heinmot tooyalaket (chief joseph)

“if the texans had kept out of my country, there might have been peace. but that which you now say we must live on is too small. the texans have taken away the places where the grass grew the thickest and the timber was the best. had we kept that, we might have done the things you ask. but it is too late. the white man has the country which we loved, and we only wish to wander on the prairie until we die.” – parra-wa-samen (ten bears)

“they made us many promises, more than i can remember, but they never kept but one; they promised to take our land, and they took it.” – mahpiua-luta (red cloud)