The Great Chief in Washington sends word that you wish to buy our land. The idea of selling land is strange to us, but we will consider your offer. How can you buy or sell the sky, the warmth of the land? If we do not own the air and the sparkle of the water, how can you buy them? We are part of the earth and it is part of us. The mountains, the meadows, the deer, the great eagle, and man – all belong to the same family. This will not be easy. The land is sacred to us. The rivers are our brothers, and yours, and you must give the rivers the kindness you would give any brother. If we accept, I will make one condition. The white man must treat the beasts of this land as his brothers. If all the beasts are gone, man would die from loneliness of spirit. All things are connected. The air is precious to us. The air shares its spirit with all like and if we sell you our land you must keep it sacred as a place that even the white man can go to taste the wind and smell the meadow’s flowers. Everything is connected. We may be brothers; we shall see. One thing we know; our God is the same as yours. The earth is precious to Him. Even the white man cannot be exempt from the common destiny. We may be brothers. We shall see. Chief Sealth is also known as Chief Seattle. The city Seattle was named after him.