Treat the Earth and all that dwell thereon with respect.
Remain close to the Great Spirit.
Show great respect for your fellow beings.
Work together for the benefit of all Mankind.
Give assistance and kindness wherever needed.
Do what you know to be right.
Look after the well being of mind and body.
Dedicate a share of your efforts to the greater good.
Be truthful and honest at all times.
Take full responsibility for your actions.
Let us greet the dawn of a new day
when all can live as one with nature
and peace reigns everywhere.
Oh Great Spirit, bring to our brothers
the wisdom of Nature and the knowledge
that if her laws are obeyed
this land will again flourish
and grasses and trees will grow as before.
Guide those that through their councils
seek to spread the wisdom of their leaders to all people.
Heal the raw wounds of the earth
and restore to our soul the richness
which strengthens men's bodies
and makes them wise in their councils.
Bring to all the knowledge that great cities
live only through the bounty
of the good earth beyond their paved streets
and towers of stone and steel.
1. Who is being addressed and in what person?
2. List five things the speaker desires.
3. What is the overall message?
This is called the Indians' Ten Commandments.
I'll be glad to check your answers to the questions.
1. The Cherokee people are being addressed and it is written in first, second, and third person.
2. Respect to the people around you, cooperation, giving and showing kindness, honesty and truthfulness, taking care of yourself.
3. They Cherokee people follow these commandments so that they could have a good life. The overall message tells people to do what is right and respect nature and people around you.
1. The speaker is addressing the "Great Spirit" or a higher spiritual being. The address is in the second person singular, using "you" pronouns to directly communicate with the Great Spirit.
2. The speaker desires five things:
- The Earth and all its inhabitants to be treated with respect.
- Maintaining a close connection with the Great Spirit.
- Showing great respect towards fellow beings.
- Working together for the benefit of all humanity.
- Giving assistance and kindness wherever needed.
3. The overall message of the passage is a call for humanity to live in harmony with nature, recognizing the interconnection and interdependence of all living beings. The message invites people to follow certain values and principles, such as respecting the Earth, being compassionate towards others, working together, acting with integrity, taking responsibility for one's actions, and envisioning a world of peace and unity with nature. It emphasizes the importance of obeying the laws of nature and seeking wisdom and knowledge from the natural world. The passage also highlights the need to heal and restore the Earth, acknowledging that the well-being of humanity is closely tied to the well-being of the natural environment.