"I have seen him set fire to his wigwam and smooth over the graves of his fathers... clap his hand in silence over his mouth, and take the last look over his fair hunting ground, and turn his face in sadness to the setting sun"

This quote by George Catlin paints a vivid image of a Native American guy's sorrowful farewell to his home. The man is seen setting fire to his wigwam, a conventional residence of the Native Americans, and smoothing over the tombs of his ancestors. He then grips his hand over his mouth in a gesture of quiet mourning, taking one last look at his beloved searching ground prior to turning his face to the setting sun. This quote talks to the disaster of the displacement of Native Americans from their ancestral lands, and the grief of leaving behind a home that has belonged to their culture for generations. It is a powerful pointer of the resilience of the Native American individuals, and their strength in the face of difficulty.