Question

Chief Seattle opens The Earth is Precious by asking how one could buy or sell the sky, or the warmth of the land. What is his purpose in asking this question? "How can you buy or sell the sky, the warmth of the land? The idea is strange to us."

Answer 1

In 1854 Chief Seattle was asked to sell a large area of Indian land and promised a ‘reservation’ for the Indian people of the North West of the US.

Through his response, he sought to explain that they could not sell the land, since they did not own it.

For the Indians, earth is sacred, and they do not understand why people believe they have the right to claim it or even sell it to others.