"The beauty of the trees, the softness of the air, the fragrance of the grass speaks to me. The summit of the mountain, the thunder of the sky, the rhythm of the sea, speaks to me. The faintness of the stars, the freshness of the morning, the dewdrop on the flower, speaks to me. The strength of the fire, the taste of salmon, the trail of the sun, and the life that never goes away, they speak to me. And my heart soars." -- Chief Dan George, actor, poet, activist and author from his 1974 poem, "My Heart Soars." As chief of an indigenous Salish band in British Columbia, Chief George had a particular, spiritual bond with his land and the creatures on it, and wanted to preserve his culture in the every-changing world engulfing his people. His deeply respectful way of reflecting the beauty of his natural surroundings keeps faith with his culture and traditions.
