Thinglhangmi, gamneite ho achihthei lou tengle midanghon agam alah pih keu hilouva anopnop a abol'a kamthep leh muhnal'a ajoljol uva, chanvou jouse alahpeh jiuhi masang laiya patsa ana kija/kisei jing umjing ahitan hiho lah'a gah hetdinga deisah chu America gam'a Red Indian ho lamkaipu kilhasetna athusei anoi'a kipe apat sahi tamtah mudoh thei ahi.
Chief Joseph, Hin-mah-too-yah-lat-kekt, 1879, Washington D.C.
At last I was granted permission to come to Washington and bring my friend Yellow Bull and our interpreter with me. I am glad I came. I have shaken hands with a good many friends, but there are
some things I want to know which no one seems able to explain. I cannot understand how the Government sends a man out to fight us, as it did General Miles, and then breaks his word. Such a government has something wrong about it.
I cannot understand why so many chiefs are allowed to talk so many different ways, and promise so many different things. I have seen the Great Father Chief (President Hayes); the Next Great Chief (Secretary of the Interior); the Commissioner Chief; the Law Chief; and many other law chiefs (Congressmen) and they all say they are my friends, and that I shall have justice, but while all
their mouths talk right I do not understand why nothing is done for my people. I have heard talk and talk but nothing is done. Good words do not last long unless they amount to something. Words do not pay for my dead people. They do not pay for my country now overrun by white men. They do not protect my fatherÃs grave. They do not pay for my horses and cattle. Good words do not give me back my children. Good words will not make good the promise of your war chief, General Miles. Good words will not give my people a home where they can live in peace and take care of themselves. I am tired of talk that comes to nothing.
It makes my heart sick when I remember all the good words and all the broken promises. There has been too much talking by men who had no right to talk. Too many misinterpretations have been made; too many misunderstandings have come up between the white men and the Indians. If the white man wants to live in peace with the Indian he can live in peace. There need be no trouble. Treat all men alike. Give them the same laws. Give them all an even chance to live and grow. All men were made by the same Great Spirit Chief. They are all brothers. The earth is the mother of all people, and all people should have equal rights upon it.
Whenever the white man treats the Indian as they treat each other then we shall have no more wars.
We shall be all alike brothers of one father and mother, with one sky above us and one country around us and one government for all. Then the Great Spirit Chief who rules above will smile upon this land and send rain to wash out the bloody spots made by brothers' hands upon the face of the earth. For this time the Indian race is waiting and praying.
Hin-mah-too-yah-lat-kekht has spoken for his people.
Achung'a kipe thugol hi ivetleh eimi holah a hunglhung vahding thil ahitan, hiche nasimdoh nah'a kon na nangin ipi ti dinmun ihinto diuva nagel em? Oleh amaho chu Red Indian ahin kei Kuki kahi jeh in imathu umponte tia naki gel em? Khonung ding gelsao thei Kuki chanu/chapa nampin angaichat penkhat ahitai, kachangin imacha boldoh pong kate tihih beh in, nangma kalson najal a gamlatah kilhung theiding ahi.
Lui/Vadung/Twipi kinong holah a khu gomal khatseh hijongle pan alah thou ahi. Khangun thouvun kanam mite!
