"It's the most precious thing...to know absolutely where you belong.

There's a whole emotional wrapping-around-of-you here.

You see the same rock, tree, road, clouds, sun -- you develop a nice kind of intimacy with the world around you.

To be intimate is to grow, to learn...[it] is absolutely fulfilling. Intimacy, that's my magic word for why I live here."

---- Tessie Maranjo, SANTA CLARA PUEBLO

"Everyone has a song. God gives us each a song. That's how we know who we are.
Our song tells us who we are."

---- Charlie Knight, UTE

"As we start to walk the Red Road and as we develop ourselves as Warriors, a song will come to us. This song is given to each of us from the Great Spirit. Whenever we sing this song, we will receive courage and strength, not only for ourselves but if we sing this song for others, it will also help them.

The song will give us power and make us feel really good. The song will make us see life in a sacred way. If you don't have your song yet, ask the Creator in prayer if He will give you your song. With the song comes a responsibility - the responsibility to act and conduct oneself as a Warrior according to your song."

---- Elly Blue Ridge

The Seven Clans (Cherokee)

Bird Clan - Their color is Purple, and their wood is Maple
Blue Clan -Their color is Blue and their wood is Ash
Deer Clan - Their color is Brown and their wood is Oak
Paint Clan - Their color is White, and their wood is Locust
Twister Clan - Their color is Yellow and their wood is Beech
Wild Potato Clan - Their color is Green and their wood is Birch
Wolf Clan - Their color is Red and their wood is Hickory

"When a white army battles Indians and wins, it is called a great victory,
but if they lose, it is called a massacre."

---- Chiksika, Shawnee

"We are now about to take our leave and kind farewell to
our native land, the country the Great Spirit gave our
Fathers, we are on the eve of leaving that country that
gave us birth, it is with sorrow we are forced by the
white man to quit the scenes of our childhood...we bid
farewell to it and all we hold dear."

---- Charles Hicks, Tsalagi (Cherokee) Vice Chief
speaking of The Trail of Tears, Nov. 4, 1838

"Our religion seems foolish to you, but so does yours to me. The Baptists and Methodists and Presbyterians and the Catholics all have a different God. Why cannot we have one of our own?"

---- Sitting Bull, HUNKPAPA LAKOTA

"Indian Blessing"

"Let us walk softly on the Earth...
...with all living beings..... great and small
...remembering as we go..., that one God...,
...kind and wise.....
..............created all."

-- UNKNOWN

"Listen to all the teachers in the woods. Watch the trees, the animals, and all living things - you'll learn more from them, than from books."

---- Joe Coyhis, STOCKBRIDGE-MUNSEE

"To me, the wisdom the Elders have to manifest is in teaching people how to live in harmony and balance with each other and the Earth."

---- Sun Bear, CHIPPEWA

"Sometimes dreams are wiser then waking."

---- Black Elk (Hehaka Sapa), OGLALA

"That spiritual power I wear is much more beautiful and much greater. We call it wisdom, knowledge, power and gift, or love. There are these four parts to that spiritual power. So I wear those. When you wear that power it will beautify your mind and spirit. You become beautiful. Everything that Tunkashila creates is beautiful."

---- Wallace Black Elk, LAKOTA

"When I was young, I asked my grandfather, "What should I pray for?" He thought for a long time and then he said, "Pray only for wisdom and for the knowledge of love." This makes a lot of sense.

No matter what happens I ask the Creator to show me the lessons I should be learning. I pray for Him to help me learn the lessons. By doing this everyday we become beautiful human beings."

---- Elly Blue Ridge

Cherokee Fry Bread

1 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 cup milk

Mix ingredigents adding more flour if necessary to make a stiff dough.
Roll out the dough on a floured board till very thin. Cut into strips 2 X 3 inches and drop in hot cooking oil.

Brown on both sides. Serve hot with honey.

Note:
Make certain the cooking oil is hot enough, or the fry breads will be doughy, undercooked, and oily.

Chickasaw Fry Bread

2 cups sifted flour
1/2 tsp. salt
4 tsp. baking powder
1 egg
1/2 cup warm milk

Stir first three ingredigents then stir in the beaten egg. Add milk to make the dough soft.
Roll it out on floured bread board, knead lightly. Roll dough out to 1/2 inch thick.
Cut into strips 2 X 3 inches and slit the center. Drop into hot cooking oil and brown on both sides. Serve hot.

Creek Fry Bread

2 cups flour
1 cup buttermilk
1 tbsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt

Sift flour,salt and baking powder then add milk and more flour to make dough stiff.
Roll out onto floured bread board and cut into 4 X 4 squares with a slit in the center.
Fry in hot cooking oil until golden brown. Drain on plate with paper towels.

Navajo Fry Bread

1 quart cooking oil
3 cups sifted flour
1 T. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup warm water

Heat oil to 360 degrees in a heavy 5 qt saucepan. Stir together the flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually stir in water, knead dough until no longer sticky. Cover and let stand 15 minutes. Pull off 2 in. balls of dough. On lightly floured surface, roll each ball into a circle about 1/4 inch thick. Pierce circles of dough several times with a fork.

Deep fry until both side are golden. (about 3-4 minutes) Drain and serve with honey, powdered sugar or jam.

Note:
Fry bread may be wrapped airtight and frozen up to 3 months. Reheat in a foil packet in a 350-degree oven for 15 minutes. Before serving open the foil to allow the fry bread to dry out on the outside.

Osage Fry Bread

4 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp salt
1 tbsp and a half baking powder
1 tablespoon melted shortening
2 cups warm milk
shortening for deep frying

Sift flour, salt and baking powder into bowl. Stir in shortening and milk. Knead the dough into a ball. Roll out dough on lightly floured board. Cut into diamond shapes and slice a slit in the center.

Heat shortening in deep fryer to 370 degrees. Fry 2 or 3 at a time until golden brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels.

Seminole Fry Bread

2 cups flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 cup milk

Mix flour, baking powder and salt. Add milk gradually making sure the dough is stiff. Put on floured bread board and pat it out with your hands until it is 1/2 inch thick. Cut into strips with a slit in the center. Fry in hot oil until both sides are golden brown.

Traditional Indian Fry Bread

1 pkg. dry yeast
3 cups warm water
1 tbsp. salt
1 tbsp. sugar
6 cups flour
2 tbsp.oil
1/2 cup cornmeal

Disolve yeast in warm water then add salt and sugar. Let stand for 5 minutes covered with a towel. Add flour and oil to liquid mixture. Mix and put on floured bread board and knead until mixture is smooth. Put dough in a greased bowl, cover with towel and let it rise for 1 1/2 hours. Remove from bowl and put on bread board, knead in the 1/2 cornmeal.

Make dough into 2 balls rolling each into 12 inch circles 1/2 inch thick. Cut into 2 inch squares and drop into hot cooking oil. (Works best with cast iron skillet.) Fry 5 to 6 pieces at a time for only a few moments. Drain on paper towel and sprinkle with white powdered sugar.