Tecumseh was a Native American Shawnee warrior and chief, who became the primary leader of a large, multi-tribal confederacy in the early 19th century. Profoundly inspirational Tecumseh quotes will brighten up your day and make you feel ready to take on anything.
Famous Tecumseh Quotes
So live your life that the fear of death can never enter your heart. Trouble no one about their religion; respect others in their view, and demand that they respect yours. Love your life, perfect your life, beautify all things in your life. Seek to make your life long and its purpose in the service of your people. Prepare a noble death song for the day when you go over the great divide – Tecumseh
When you rise in the morning, give thanks for the light, for your life, for your strength. – Tecumseh
Always give a word or a sign of salute when meeting or passing a friend,even a stranger, when in a lonely place. Show respect to all people and grovel to none. When you arise in the morning give thanks for the food and for the joy of living. If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies only in yourself. – Tecumseh
Sing your death song and die like a hero going home. – Tecumseh
I am Shawnee! I am a warrior! My forefathers were warriors. From them I took only my birth into this world. From my tribe I take nothing. I am the maker of my own destiny! And of that I might make the destiny of my red people, of our nation, as great as I conceive to in my mind, when I think of Weshemoneto, who rules this universe! – Tecumseh
A single twig breaks, but the bundle of twigs is strong. – Tecumseh
From my tribe I take nothing, I am the maker of my own fortune. – Tecumseh
The Great Spirit is angry with all men that tell lies. – Tecumseh
Live your life that the fear of death can never enter your heart. – Tecumseh
The way, and the only way, to stop this evil is for all the red men to unite in claiming a common and equal right in the land, as it was at first, and should be yet; for it was never divided, but belongs to all for the use of each. – Tecumseh
My father! The sun is my father, and the earth is my mother, and on her bosom I will recline. – Tecumseh
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. – Tecumseh
When Jesus Christ came upon the Earth, you killed Him. The son of your own God. And only after He was dead did you worship Him and start killing those who would not. – Tecumseh
From my tribe I take nothing, I am the maker of my own fortune. – Tecumseh
Show respect to all people, but grovel to none. – Tecumseh
Wise Chief Tecumseh Quotes
Let us form one body, one heart, and defend to the last warrior our country, our homes, our liberty, and the graves of our fathers. – Tecumseh
When you arise in the morning, give thanks for the morning light, for your life and strength. Give thanks for your food and the joy of living, If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies with yourself. – Tecumseh
Abuse no one and no thing, for abuse turns the wise ones to fools and robs the spirit of its vision. – Tecumseh
Trouble no one about their religion; respect others in their view and demand that they respect yours. – Tecumseh
Where today are the Pequot? Where are the Narragansett, the Mohican, the Pokanoket, and many other once powerful tribes of our people? They have vanished before the avarice and the oppression of the White Man, as snow before a summer sun. Will we let ourselves be destroyed in our turn without a struggle, give up our homes, our country bequeathed to us by the Great Spirit, the graves of our dead and everything that is dear and sacred to us? I know you will cry with me, ‘Never! Never!’ – Tecumseh
Prepare a noble death song for the day when you go over the great divide. – Tecumseh
When the legends die, the dreams end; there is no more greatness. – Tecumseh
Show respect to all people, but grovel to none. – Tecumseh
Brothers, the white people are like poisonous serpents: when chilled they are feeble and harmless, but invigorate them with warmth and they sting their benefactors to death. – Tecumseh
Sell a country! Why not sell the air, the clouds and the great sea, as well as the earth? Did not the Great Spirit make them all for the use of his children? – Tecumseh
The white people have no right to take the land from the Indians, because the Indians had it first. – Tecumseh
Since my residence at Tippecanoe, we have endeavored to level all distinctions, to destroy village chiefs, by whom all mischiefs are done. It is they who sell the land to the Americans. – Tecumseh
We do not own the land! Land is like air and water. No one owns it. – Tecumseh
I have made myself what I am. And I would that I could make the red people as great as the conceptions of my own mind, when I think of the Great Spirit that rules over us all. – Tecumseh
When it comes your time to die, be not like those whose hearts are filled with the 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. – Tecumseh
As we intend to hold our council at the Huron village, that is near the British, we may probably make them a visit. Should they offer us any presents of goods, we will not take them; but should they offer us powder and the tomahawk, we will take the powder and refuse the tomahawk. – Tecumseh
