Icupi Makoce (taken land)

Once so calm and peaceful
Praying to Tunkashila
Living off their land, their prize
Wasting nothing, not taking for granted
Thanking everything

Swarming in from across deep waters
Tricking them out of their beloved homes
Forcing them away
Giving illness, saying they have no self-worth
Savages

They did nothing wrong
Being captured as animals
Not able to speak their native tongue
Brought to school to “make them more spiritual”
Ignorant people

Their home bombarded
Fake treaties being made
Taking something that wasn’t theirs
Giving out reserves like rations
not treasuring what they now have

Proud people looked down upon
“Those Indians, they’re no good”
“They don’t believe in god”
“The bottle is their bible”

Stop.

They’re thankful for what they have
They pray a different way
Their “god” is the same
just perceived differently with a new name
they don’t understand

They don’t go to church to rid their sins
They dance out in the sun
Not praying for themselves but others
Keeping their families strong
It’s not arrogance it’s pride

They are strong
Not using the bottle as a remedy
Using it as an escape
to be back where everything was better

Stripped

Their once cherished home turned urban
Buildings up everywhere
The new residents taking it all for granted
The new homes they’ve been given have nothing
Having to board up their windows at night

Don’t you see what you have done?
Banned all my people away
Calling them worthless
When you sit in your newly furnished homes not caring
Because it’s all yours now

They’re not bitter but they have that right
Making do with what they have
Just remember when you walk down the paved streets
that it was our promised land
Tiyatani nuni (a home lost)

Mitakuye Oyasin

Clarice Fire