--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is Indian time and white man's…" description: "\"There is Indian time and white man's time. Indian time means never looking at the clock. ... There is not even a word for time in our language.\" — Mary..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bbc/mary-brave-bird-49758_clock_there-is-indian-time-and-white-man-s-tim_3124283.png" --- # There is Indian time and white man's time. Indian time… ![“There is Indian time and white man's time. Indian time means never looking at the clock. ... There is not even a word for time in our language.” quote by Mary Brave Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bbc/mary-brave-bird-49758_clock_there-is-indian-time-and-white-man-s-tim_3124283.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bbc/mary-brave-bird-49758_clock_there-is-indian-time-and-white-man-s-tim_3124283.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bbc/mary-brave-bird-49758_clock_there-is-indian-time-and-white-man-s-tim_3124283.png) > “There is Indian time and white man's time. Indian time means never looking at the clock. ... There is not even a word for time in our language.” [Mary Brave Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-brave-bird/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Cultural concepts of time differ; some societies prioritize natural rhythms over clock time. **In simple terms:** Some cultures view time as fluid, not measured. Key Takeaway Respect diverse temporal mindsets. Themes culture time perception indigenous knowledge Mood thoughtful contemplative Type philosophical educational When to use this quote - community gatherings - rituals - daily schedules - cross‑cultural work Key Concepts anthropology relativism Questions to Reflect On - How does your environment shape your sense of time? - Can you integrate flexible timing? A Different Perspective Modern schedules can clash with fluid time views. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Clock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clock/) [Indian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indian/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [White man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white-man/) ## Related quotes > [“But, no matter what they do, keep walking keep moving. And don't wear a watch. Hell, Indians never need to wear a watch because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/but-no-matter-what-they-do-keep-walking-keep-moving-and-don-t-wear-a/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [When we say 'time', I believe we mean at least two things. We mean changes. And we mean something unchangeable. We mean something that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-h-eg/when-we-say-time-i-believe-we-mean-at-least-two-things-we-mean/) [Peter Høeg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-h-eg/) > [I don't have time for language poetry anymore. I don't want to throw people off anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-berman/i-don-t-have-time-for-language-poetry-anymore-i-don-t-want-to-throw/) [David Berman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-berman/) > [“Over the water of time I call to you In a language I do not know.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-s-jaffe/over-the-water-of-time-i-call-to-you-in-a-language-i-do-not-know/) Ellen S Jaffe > [“The importance of time is not just about time itself, but rather about what it means to us. Time is essential for what we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kalpesh-radadiya/the-importance-of-time-is-not-just-about-time-itself-but-rather-about/) Kalpesh Radadiya > [“Time is money. We should not be stingy or mean with it, but we should not throw away an hour any more than we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orison-swett-marden/time-is-money-we-should-not-be-stingy-or-mean-with-it-but-we-should/) [Orison Swett Marden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orison-swett-marden/) > [“Time means nothing." ~The Time Traveller's Wife”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-niffenegger/time-means-nothing-the-time-traveller-s-wife/) [Audrey Niffenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-niffenegger/) > [“Time means nothing and when you find the right person, you just know.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samanthe-beck/time-means-nothing-and-when-you-find-the-right-person-you-just-know/) [Samanthe Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samanthe-beck/) > [If time means nothing to you, then surf the Web.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-dvorak/if-time-means-nothing-to-you-then-surf-the-web/) [John C. Dvorak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-dvorak/) > [“Time means succession, and succession, change: Hence timelessness is bound to disarrange Schedules of sentiment.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/time-means-succession-and-succession-change-hence-timelessness-is-2/) [Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) > [“Time means succession, and succession, change: Hence timelessness is bound to disarrange Schedules of sentiment. We give advice 570  To widower. He has been married…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/time-means-succession-and-succession-change-hence-timelessness-is/) [Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) > [Enlightenment means choosing to dwell in a state of presence rather than in time. It means saying yes to what is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/enlightenment-means-choosing-to-dwell-in-a-state-of-presence-rather/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [“She used to say," I'll never ever leave you" but I didn't know at that time that never ever means is only some months.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/she-used-to-say-i-ll-never-ever-leave-you-but-i-didn-t-know-at-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“But time," added Shaya, "is not that rigid. In dreams, worlds meet, and time means little.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-king/but-time-added-shaya-is-not-that-rigid-in-dreams-worlds-meet-and-time/) Travis King > [Time means a great deal to every runner. It means everything to me, because most days miles don't count; only minutes do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-henderson/time-means-a-great-deal-to-every-runner-it-means-everything-to-me/) [Joe Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-henderson/) ## More by Mary Brave Bird > [After macrobiotics, Zen, and channeling, the "poor Vanishing Indian" is once more the subject of "deep and meaningful conversation" in the high rises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-brave-bird/after-macrobiotics-zen-and-channeling-the-poor-vanishing-indian-is/) [Mary Brave Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-brave-bird/) > [I have become an environmentalist, because it is over the environment that the last of the Indian Wars will be fought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-brave-bird/i-have-become-an-environmentalist-because-it-is-over-the-environment/) [Mary Brave Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-brave-bird/) > [The land is sacred. These words are at the core of your being. The land is our mother, the rivers our blood. Take our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-brave-bird/the-land-is-sacred-these-words-are-at-the-core-of-your-being-the-land/) [Mary Brave Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-brave-bird/) > [People who want to be tattooed don't always have good taste.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-brave-bird/people-who-want-to-be-tattooed-don-t-always-have-good-taste/) [Mary Brave Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-brave-bird/) > [We didn't have a generation gap, we had a generation Grand Canyon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-brave-bird/we-didn-t-have-a-generation-gap-we-had-a-generation-grand-canyon/) [Mary Brave Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-brave-bird/) > [To me, women's lib was mainly a white, upper-middle class affair of little use to a reservation Indian woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-brave-bird/to-me-women-s-lib-was-mainly-a-white-upper-middle-class-affair-of/) [Mary Brave Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-brave-bird/) [Explore all 7 Mary Brave Bird quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-brave-bird/) ## More Clock quotes > [Even Einstein had to rely for his time on his clock.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanislaw-jerzy-lec/even-einstein-had-to-rely-for-his-time-on-his-clock/) [Stanislaw Jerzy Lec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanislaw-jerzy-lec/) > [“Time was never neutral and often felt dangerous. We either think we have all the time in the world or time moves too fast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-reay/time-was-never-neutral-and-often-felt-dangerous-we-either-think-we/) [Katherine Reay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-reay/) > [Before a clock was in the tower, Or e'er a watch was worn; I knew of night the passing hour, And prophesied the morn;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/before-a-clock-was-in-the-tower-or-e-er-a-watch-was-worn-i-knew-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A clock struck out the hour of twelve, and the bird in the hedgerow was still singing as we marched out to the roadway,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-macgill/a-clock-struck-out-the-hour-of-twelve-and-the-bird-in-the-hedgerow/) [Patrick MacGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-macgill/) > [“Time is, to put it in its most impressive and some might say poncy-sounding form, my domain. I can see things that once happened,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-rayner/time-is-to-put-it-in-its-most-impressive-and-some-might-say-poncy/) [Jacqueline Rayner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-rayner/) > [Time travel offends our sense of cause and effect - but maybe the universe doesn't insist on cause and effect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-m-lerner/time-travel-offends-our-sense-of-cause-and-effect-but-maybe-the/) [Edward M. Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-m-lerner/) > [My only aim is to clock a time that everyone remembers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hima-das/my-only-aim-is-to-clock-a-time-that-everyone-remembers/) [Hima Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hima-das/) > [Time.The greatest creator, and the worst destroyer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/levi-keely/time-the-greatest-creator-and-the-worst-destroyer/) Levi Keely > [Steven Spielberg seems to have wanted to be a director from 13. He put his dog in a certain position and made him eat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-brooks/steven-spielberg-seems-to-have-wanted-to-be-a-director-from-13-he-put/) [Albert Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-brooks/) > [No life goes past so swiftly as an eventless one, no clock spins like a clock whose days are all alike.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stegner/no-life-goes-past-so-swiftly-as-an-eventless-one-no-clock-spins-like/) [Wallace Stegner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stegner/) > [Those who stop marketing to save money are like those who stop a clock to save time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/those-who-stop-marketing-to-save-money-are-like-those-who-stop-a/) [Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/) > [Time is the nervous system of narration, whether factual or fictive. If it gets confused some of the minutiae of human nature are certain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenway-wescott/time-is-the-nervous-system-of-narration-whether-factual-or-fictive-if/) [Glenway Wescott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenway-wescott/) > [I don't know if it's just me or everyone, but the whole vibe with skiing is not so much thriving on competition against others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/picabo-street/i-don-t-know-if-it-s-just-me-or-everyone-but-the-whole-vibe-with/) [Picabo Street](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/picabo-street/) > [Time goes on, even when yer not looking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/time-goes-on-even-when-yer-not-looking/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [CLOCK, n. A machine of great moral value to man, allaying his concern for the future by reminding him what a lot of time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/clock-n-a-machine-of-great-moral-value-to-man-allaying-his-concern/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) [Browse all 2,738 Clock quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clock/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There is Indian time and white man's time. Indian time means never looking at the clock. ... There is not even a word for time in our language.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mary Brave Bird" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-brave-bird/there-is-indian-time-and-white-man-s-time-indian-time-means-never/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Clock" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-brave-bird/there-is-indian-time-and-white-man-s-time-indian-time-means-never/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bbc/mary-brave-bird-49758_clock_there-is-indian-time-and-white-man-s-tim_3124283.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bbc/mary-brave-bird-49758_clock_there-is-indian-time-and-white-man-s-tim_3124283.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bbc/mary-brave-bird-49758_clock_there-is-indian-time-and-white-man-s-tim_3124283.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There is Indian time and white man's time. Indian time means never looking at the clock. ... There is not…” — Mary Brave Bird", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Mary Brave Bird", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-brave-bird/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "There is Indian time and white...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-brave-bird/there-is-indian-time-and-white-man-s-time-indian-time-means-never/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-brave-bird/there-is-indian-time-and-white-man-s-time-indian-time-means-never/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```