Home / Quotes / Quote by Michael Dorris

Quote by Michael Dorris

“I certainly don't object to [writers] trying to imagine the lives of other societies, but you have to do it with a certain amount of humility and respect. If it were not for the ethnographic material that had been collected by missionaries and anthropologists and so forth, much of past Native American society would no longer be accessible. What I object to is making kitsch of things that are very serious.”

Quote by Michael Dorris

Author

Michael Dorris, born on January 30, 1945, was a renowned American novelist known for his profound portrayal of Native American life and culture. His most famous work, 'The Broken Cord,' won the National Book Award in the United States. Dorris's writings often blend personal experience with rich imagination, making them highly appealing to readers. more

You May Also Like

“It's impossible to write about Native life without humor-that's how people maintain sanity.”

People Writing Impossible Indian Native Sanity American Indian

Author:Louise Erdrich

“There aren't a lot of alternative roles for Indian actors. I think we've fallen short of portraying Indians in the media. We don't need to make another Dances With Wolves, because it's not an Indian movie. When Indians portray themselves, then we have a different perspective. I've been asked about making period pieces but I've never read one that wasn't about guilt, and I'm not trying to make a guilt film.”

Thinking Needs Trying Different Film Actors Roles Pieces Media Perspective Periods Guilt Alternatives Indian Fallen American Indian Different Perspective Portraying

Author:Chris Eyre

“Indians and animals know better how to live than white man; nobody can be in good health if he does not have all the time fresh air, sunshine, and good water.”

Ifs Knows Men Doe Water White Animal Air Indian Sunshine White Man Good Health American Indian Fresh Air

Author:Flying Hawk

“It is my land, my home, my father's land, to which I now ask to be allowed to return. I want to spend my last days there, and be buried among those mountains. If this could be I might die in peace, feeling that my people, placed in their native homes, would increase in numbers, rather than diminish as at present, and that our name would not become extinct.”

Source: Geronimo's Story of His Life: As Told to S. M. Barrett

“It's important as a writer to do my art well and do it in a way that is powerful and beautiful and meaningful, so that my work regenerates the people, certainly Indian people, and the earth and the sun. And in that way we all continue forever.”

People Way Wells Art Important Earth Beautiful Powerful Sun Forever Meaningful Indian American Indian

Author:Joy Harjo

“Before AIM, Indians were dispirited, defeated, and culturally dissolving. People were ashamed to be Indian. You didn't see the young people wearing braids or chokers or ribbon shirts in those days. Hell, I didn't wear 'em. People didn't Sun Dance, they didn't Sweat, they were losing their languages. Then there was that spark at Alcatraz, and we took off. Man, we took a ride across this country. We put Indians and Indian rights smack dab in the middle of the public consciousness for the first time since the so-called Indian wars.”

“The turn of the century was the lowest point for the devastation of Indian culture by disease and persecution, and it's a wonder to me that they survived it and have not only maintained their identity, but are actually growing stronger in some ways. The situation is still very bad, especially in certain geographical areas, but there are more Indians going to school, more Indians becoming professional people, more Indians assuming full responsibility in our society. We have a long way to go, but we're making great strides.”

“The Indian Bureau system is wrong. The only way to adjust wrong is to abolish it, and the only reform is to let my people go. After freeing the Indian from the shackles of government supervision, what is the Indian going to do: leave that with the Indian, and it is none of your business.”

People Way Government Reform Indian Abolish American Indian Shackles Supervision None Of Your Business

Author:Carlos Montezuma

“We were told that they wished merely to pass through our country. . . to seek for gold in the far west . . . Yet before the ashes of the council are cold, the Great Father is building his forts among us. . . . His presence here is . . . an insult to the spirits of our ancestors. Are we then to give up their sacred graves to be allowed for corn?”

Giving Country Spirit Father Building Cold Giving Up Gold Sacred West Graves Our Country Indian Insult Ancestor Ashes Council Corn American Indian Forts Great Father

Author:Red Cloud

“Responsible, who wants to be responsible? Whenever something bad happens, it's always, who's responsible for this?”

Want Happens Responsible Witty Being Responsible

Author:Jerry Seinfeld