Tribal wisdom
The following insightful proverbs come from different tribes of American Indians and reflect values that leaders should uphold:
It is better to have less thunder in the mouth and more lightning in the hand. —Apache
Plants are our brothers and sisters. They talk to us and, if we listen, we can hear them. —Arapaho
When you were born, you cried, and the world rejoiced. Live your life so that when you die, the world cries. —Cherokee
Do not judge your neighbor until you walk two moons in his moccasins. —Cheyenne
Force, no matter how concealed, begets resistance. —Lakota
Your children are not your own, they’re lent to you by the Creator. —Mohawk
Man’s law changes with his understanding of man. Only the laws of the spirit remain the same. —Crow
It is less of a problem to be poor than to be dishonest. —Anishinabe
He who would do great things should not attempt them alone! —Seneca
The rainbow is a sign from Him, who is in all things. —Hopi
When a man moves away from nature, his heart becomes hard. —Lakota
A good chief gives; he does not take. —Mohawk
It is easy to be brave from a distance. —Omaha
Wisdom comes only when you stop looking for it and start living the life the Creator intended for you. —Hopi
Take only what you need, and leave the land as you found it! —Arapaho
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