"Listen with rare and quiet ears."
This quote emphasizes the importance of listening attentively and mindfully, not just with our physical ears but also with a quiet and open mind. It encourages us to be receptive, patient, and sensitive when we listen, as if it's a rare and valuable skill that requires focus and attention. In essence, Harjo invites us to truly hear, understand, and appreciate the world and others around us.
"The earth is my first teacher."
This quote underscores a profound connection between humans and nature, suggesting that our planet serves as an integral part of our learning experience. It implies that nature is not merely a physical environment but a source of wisdom, offering lessons about life, resilience, growth, and change through its cycles and phenomena. By emphasizing the earth as the first teacher, Joy Harjo encourages us to cultivate an awareness of this intrinsic connection and draw inspiration from the natural world in our personal and collective journeys.
"I'm trying to find out what it means to be human, to be a woman, to be an Indian in this culture that doesn't necessarily value indigenous or female attributes."
Joy Harjo's quote expresses her personal journey to understand and navigate the complexities of identity, focusing on being human, a woman, and an Indigenous person. As an Indigenous woman, she experiences a culture that often undervalues indigenous and feminine qualities, prompting her quest for self-discovery and understanding in this context. Her words resonate with many who share similar struggles to find their place, value, and identity within a predominantly non-indigenous society.
"It's important to love all the parts of yourself, so the dark, the light, the thoughts and attitudes tucked away in your mind. If you try to hide those, they will rule your life."
This quote by Joy Harjo emphasizes self-acceptance and emotional honesty. She encourages individuals to embrace all aspects of their personality, including both positive and negative traits, as well as the thoughts and feelings that might be hidden or ignored. The idea is that if these parts are suppressed, they may gain power over an individual's life instead of being integrated and managed constructively. Embracing oneself wholly allows for personal growth, self-awareness, and inner peace.
"When I stand before you at my tribal council, I am a Mandan and Hodulgee Muscogee woman. My words are the bear paws of my ancestors upon the rivers of stories."
This quote by Joy Harjo emphasizes her strong connection to her Native American heritage. She identifies as a member of both the Mandan and Hodulgee Muscogee tribes, highlighting the rich cultural history that flows through her veins. Her words are metaphorically likened to bear paws, suggesting that they carry the power, strength, and tradition of her ancestors. The rivers of stories imply the continuous flow of oral histories passed down from generation to generation, emphasizing the significance of storytelling in Native American culture. Overall, this quote showcases Harjo's pride in her Indigenous identity and her role as a storyteller preserving her people's legacy.
When I began to listen to poetry, it's when I began to listen to the stones, and I began to listen to what the clouds had to say, and I began to listen to others. And I think, most importantly for all of us, then you begin to learn to listen to the soul, the soul of yourself in here, which is also the soul of everyone else.
- Joy Harjo
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