Shawnee quotes carry a quiet strength, measured speech, attentive listening, and responsibility grounded in kinship. Their imagery draws from rivers, forests, and migrating paths, reminding readers that movement and home can coexist. Themes of reciprocity with the living world sit beside calls to courage, generosity, and restraint. Humor surfaces as a sharp, humane check on pride. Memory of ancestors and the work of future children shape the moral horizon, while the cadence of council and camp keeps each saying close to daily life.
"When your time comes to die, be not like those whose hearts are filled with fear of death, so that when their time comes they weep and pray for a little more time to live their lives over again in a different way. Sing your death song, and die like a hero going home"
"When you rise in the morning, give thanks for the light, for your life, for your strength. Give thanks for your food and for the joy of living. If you see no reason to give thanks, the fault lies in yourself"
