Black Elk and Nature

I've always admired the Native American's close ties to nature.  The connection they have and the way the speak of it is simply beautiful.  While reading "Black Elk Speaks" the admiration the Native American's have for nature is upon nearly every page.  Their names and descriptions are gorgeous, and sometimes I felt myself yearning to be called Fire Thunder instead of Jake, which is just boring in comparison.  The month of August would seem so much better if we referred to it as Moon When the Cherries Turn Black instead of simply August.

It makes me sad to think Americans were hell-bent on wiping out this beautiful culture simply for land.  It was obvious that the Native Americans were the ones who cared for it and worshipped it.  We simply charged in with industry and Christianity, and found them more than adequate to replace what had been there before.

It's a shame, really.