Red Jacket

Since the dawn of man, countless souls, innocent or other,  have gone to eternity in the struggle for religious dominance. In the earliest of times, the world was a much larger place, where ethnicity was true and ideas, beliefs and values became cultures. As some cultures prospered, some did not, and with exploration and the subsequent clash of cultures, oppression became a common way of imposing one onto another.

In 1805, Otetani, chief of the Seneca tribe and the main spokesman for the Six Nations, in opposition to attempts by the Europeans to impose their ideals on his tribe gave this speech at a council of chiefs of the Six Nations when Christian missionaries tried to baptize his followers It is one of my favorite speeches regarding religion and helps put into perspective the tension that can arise between people of differing religious beliefs. Red Jacket, as Otetani was known for the bright red coat given to him by the British when he supported them during the American Revolution, made a good case for the idea of religion being a system of worship that is merely a product of culture. In the end, it all means, essentially, the same thing...expressed a little differently. The expression, itself, is the religion.

He begins by welcoming everyone and acknowledging the  Great Spirit, and the gifts of life he gives to all people. He speaks of how the white man was welcomed to their land as an oppressed people from a distant land, treated as brothers, and given part in the offerings of the land…gifts of the Great Spirit. The tone turns to the lack of consideration the Europeans showed the Indians in return and the subsequent wars and tribulations between the two “brothers”…

…Brother, our seats were once larger and yours were small. You have now become a great people, and we have scarcely a place left to spread our blankets. You have got our country, but are not satisfied; you want to force your religion upon us.

Brother, continue to listen. You say that you are sent to instruct us how to worship the Great Spirit agreeably to His mind; and, if we do not take hold of the religion which you white people teach we shall be unhappy hereafter. You say that you are right and we are lost. How do we know this is true? We understand that your religion is written in a Book. If it was intended for us, as well as you, why has not the Great Spirit given to us, and not only to us, but why did He not give to our forefathers the knowledge of that Book, with the means of understanding when to believe, being so often deceived by the white people?

Brother, you say there is but one way to worship and serve the Great Spirit. If there is but one religion, why do you white people differ so much about it? Why not all agreed, as you can all read the Book?

Brother, we do not understand these things. We are told that your religion was given to your forefathers and has been handed down from father to son. We also have a religion which was given to our forefathers and has been handed down to us, their children. We worship in that way. It teaches us to be thankful for all the favors we receive, to love each other, and to be united. We never quarrel about religion.

Brother, the Great Spirit has made us all, but He has made a great difference between His white and His red children. He has given us different complexions and different customs. To you He has given the arts. To these He has not opened our eyes. We know these things to be true. Since He has made so great a difference between us in other things, why may we not conclude that He has given us a different religion according to our understanding? The Great Spirit does right. He knows what is best for His children; we are satisfied.

Brother, we do not wish to destroy your religion or take it from you. We only want to enjoy our own.

Brother, you say you have not come to get our land or our money, but to enlighten our minds. I will not tell you that I have been at your meetings and saw you collect money from the meeting. I can not tell what this money was intended for, but suppose that it was for your minister; and, if we should conform to your way of thinking, perhaps you may want some from us.

Brother, we are told that you have been preaching to the white people in this place. These people are our neighbors. We are acquainted with them. We will wait a little while and see what effect your preaching has upon them. If we find it does them good, makes them honest, and less disposed to cheat Indians, we will then consider again of what you have said.