Te Ata Quotes
Te Ata Thompson Fisher: My name is Te Ata, Bearer of the Morning. I am Chickasaw and a storyteller and this is my story.
Movie: Te Ata
Young Te Ata: In the beginning, everything was covered with water. The only living were a few small animals, afloat on a raft. Not knowing what to do, the crayfish volunteered and dove off the raft into the great ocean. He tried every day to reach the bottom, and on the fourth day, he did. He built a great mud chimney that stuck up above the surface of the water. The mud spread out and created a newly formed Earth. It is from this mud chimney that the Chickasaw and the Choctaw people were allowed to come and live upon the new surface with all the animals.
Movie: Te Ata
Douglas Johnston: Now I been meaning to ask, what do you think about Treasurer?
T.B. Thompson: But I don't know anything about politics.
Douglas Johnston: Exactly! An honest man.
T.B. Thompson: But I don't know anything about politics.
Douglas Johnston: Exactly! An honest man.
Movie: Te Ata
Bertie Thompson: Mary Francis! Don't be bothering the Governor!
Douglas Johnston: Oh, it's alright.
Young Te Ata: Uncle Doug, can't you pass a law so I can come tonight?
Douglas Johnston: Hard to say no to such a charming constituent.
Douglas Johnston: Oh, it's alright.
Young Te Ata: Uncle Doug, can't you pass a law so I can come tonight?
Douglas Johnston: Hard to say no to such a charming constituent.
Movie: Te Ata
Young Te Ata: We are all sparks from Ababinili. He scatters us out here and there to make light. And when we die, he gathers us up, so as to make one big blaze to show us the house of Ababinili.
Movie: Te Ata
Senator Judd: Let your people pull themselves up by their bootstraps and join the future, like the rest of us have.
Douglas Johnston: I assure you, sir, my people do not need lessons in hard work, grit or making a living off the land.
Douglas Johnston: I assure you, sir, my people do not need lessons in hard work, grit or making a living off the land.
Movie: Te Ata
Young Te Ata: But like my daddy says, the Chickasaws will never be conquered. But to live is to change, and that is what happened in 1906. We now faced maybe our biggest challenge. They were breaking up our government for one of their own, a state called Oklahoma.
Movie: Te Ata
Young Te Ata: When the world was still young, there was but one man upon it. Seeing that he was lonesome, the Great Spirit sent a son. They walked upon the Earth and found it good, but it was too cold. There were no trees and no flowers to make the world beautiful. One night, the young brave had a dream and he told his father it would be through sacrifice that beauty will walk upon the Earth. I'll give myself to the Great Spirit, said the son, and from his grave sprung the first pine tree, and from that came all the other beautiful trees.
Movie: Te Ata
Bertie Thompson: Take this here basket on up to the Brewster's place.
Te Ata Thompson Fisher: How come I have to go?
Bertie Thompson: Because they got eight mouths to feed and they as poor as church mice. That's why.
Te Ata Thompson Fisher: Well, if they have eight mouths, then seems to me like they have 16 feet.
Te Ata Thompson Fisher: How come I have to go?
Bertie Thompson: Because they got eight mouths to feed and they as poor as church mice. That's why.
Te Ata Thompson Fisher: Well, if they have eight mouths, then seems to me like they have 16 feet.
Movie: Te Ata
Taxi Driver: So you're going to college, are you? Don't believe I've ever seen an Indian up at the school before. You are Indian, aren't you? Didn't have those kind of opportunities when I was your age. One quarter Choctaw, just enough to make it tough in a white man's world. Young lady, you make the most of this. You're doing it for all of us.
Movie: Te Ata
Miss Davis: You speak sparrow?
Te Ata Thompson Fisher: Um, my accent's a little rough.
Miss Davis: And what did our little friend have to say?
Te Ata Thompson Fisher: She was wondering why she left the nest.
Miss Davis: Because it's the only way to learn to soar.
Te Ata Thompson Fisher: Um, my accent's a little rough.
Miss Davis: And what did our little friend have to say?
Te Ata Thompson Fisher: She was wondering why she left the nest.
Miss Davis: Because it's the only way to learn to soar.
Movie: Te Ata
Miss Davis: Charm will deceive. Beauty will fade. But a woman with conviction will last forever.
Movie: Te Ata
Bertie Thompson: There's nothing wrong with nice or normal. But we brung you up to know your own mind and to follow where God leads you, and if that means going cross-country and getting up on a stage, well, then you best get up on it.
Movie: Te Ata
Bertie Thompson: What was it Aunt Mary called her when she was a baby?
T.B. Thompson: Te Ata.
Te Ata Thompson Fisher: Te Ata? I love it. What... what does it mean?
T.B. Thompson: Bearer of the morning.
Te Ata Thompson Fisher: That's perfect!
T.B. Thompson: That's because you start crying every day at the crack of dawn for hours, and nobody could shut you up. I mean she was like a dang rooster, wasn't she, Bertie?
T.B. Thompson: Te Ata.
Te Ata Thompson Fisher: Te Ata? I love it. What... what does it mean?
T.B. Thompson: Bearer of the morning.
Te Ata Thompson Fisher: That's perfect!
T.B. Thompson: That's because you start crying every day at the crack of dawn for hours, and nobody could shut you up. I mean she was like a dang rooster, wasn't she, Bertie?
Movie: Te Ata
Bettie Johnston: What tribe are you from, dear?
Te Ata Thompson Fisher: I am Chickasaw. My father is Chickasaw. My mother is of German descent.
Bettie Johnston: Then you are half Chickasaw.
Te Ata Thompson Fisher: No ma'am. My heart and soul are 100 Chickasaw.
Te Ata Thompson Fisher: I am Chickasaw. My father is Chickasaw. My mother is of German descent.
Bettie Johnston: Then you are half Chickasaw.
Te Ata Thompson Fisher: No ma'am. My heart and soul are 100 Chickasaw.
Movie: Te Ata
Te Ata Thompson Fisher: What got you interested in Indian culture?
Dr. Clyde Fisher: Well, I... I was on an expedition out west, and I was adopted by the Sioux tribe. My Indian name, though lacking in the imagery of Te Ata, certainly was fitting. They called me Afraid of Bear.
Dr. Clyde Fisher: Well, I... I was on an expedition out west, and I was adopted by the Sioux tribe. My Indian name, though lacking in the imagery of Te Ata, certainly was fitting. They called me Afraid of Bear.
Movie: Te Ata
Dr. Clyde Fisher: It is imperative to open people's minds to new things. Ignorance breeds fear, and the only way to conquer that is to make the unknown known.
Te Ata Thompson Fisher: I think I would agree with that.
Dr. Clyde Fisher: i would say more than agree. Each time you take the stage, you bring light to a dark world.
Te Ata Thompson Fisher: I think I would agree with that.
Dr. Clyde Fisher: i would say more than agree. Each time you take the stage, you bring light to a dark world.
Movie: Te Ata
Te Ata Thompson Fisher: I want to focus on Broadway.
Dr. Clyde Fisher: Maybe it's not about what you want to do. Maybe it's about what you were meant to do.
Dr. Clyde Fisher: Maybe it's not about what you want to do. Maybe it's about what you were meant to do.
Movie: Te Ata
Douglas Johnston: When you were just a little girl, your Uncle Doug went to Washington when they tried to get rid of us... and now you will return and show them that we are alive and well and that the Chickasaw are unconquered and unconquerable.
Movie: Te Ata
Te Ata Thompson Fisher: Long ago, the Great Creator brought together two brothers, the Choctaw and the Chickasaw. The brothers sought out new lands and journeyed with the protection of Ofi Tohbi, the white dog. They brought with them the sacred leaning pole that gave them direction. Finally, they found new lands and the one brother, Chickasaw went in one direction and Choctaw in the other. And by doing this, they created two powerful nations.
Movie: Te Ata