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Poetry for the Warpath Against Keystone XL

Keystone XL: Resist with all the love in your heart.

Resist for the Badlands, the good land, all the land, our land,
Our land only to give to our children and their children.
Love, love, resist with love.
Resist with all the love in your heart.

9 Comments

  1. Tara Volesky 2014.02.16

    The Native culture is not about greed and materialism. Let's get behind the Indians and tell the Chinese who have invested 60 billion into the tar sands. we have a clean energy alternative which is hemp bio-fuel. Mike Myers has been pushing hemp ever since he announced last summer. He was told it would be political suicide, well thank you Elizabeth May, and the majority of the Republicans and Peggy Gibson and all of the Democrats for being open minded and passing the pro-hemp resolution. John Thune and big oil are lying to us saying the pipeline will create 40,000 jobs. The pipes are made in India. Imagine that. Don't believe their politricks. Thune has received big money from big oil. It's a big lie.

  2. interested party 2014.02.16

    Genetically engineered hemp only pads Thune's donors. Only seeds from organic banks should be allowed and no Atrazine or glyphosate be used to grow it.

  3. mike from iowa 2014.02.16

    Hi inchi ya nani?(whose land is this?)
    Yangu,yangu,yangu!(Mine,mine,mine!)

    Attribution to the late Peter Hathaway Capstick.

  4. caheidelberger Post author | 2014.02.17

    Interesting, Deb, that the Native rappers get backlash for acting black or "desecrating" Native language by putting it to the modern beats of Western music. I wonder: how well can rap fit into Native oral traditions? Can these young men become the new storytellers of their tribes' history? If Black Elk had been born 130 years later, would he have rapped?

  5. Roger Cornelius 2014.02.17

    Like Josie Weiland this young lady had a powerful message and chose to rap her expressions.

    Just like any musical genre, Native American artist are adept at participating and sharing. Whether it be opera, country western or rap, if the music can get a message across and the artist is talented enough to effectively use a preferred genre, they should do so.

    I've heard of the backlash Cory refers to and believe that it is more generational than racial, simply because rap had its origins with blacks, it is not limited to them. As I understand it, there are young people of all races that rap.

    Could Black Elk rap? Could Chief Red Cloud rap? I doubt it, but I'm pretty certain that if the message this generation of youngsters uses to raise awareness of the abuse of land and its resources, they would approve!

  6. mike from iowa 2014.02.17

    It may just be the times we live in and the generational music thingy. Growing up,we had protesters burning American flags and using rock music and lyrics to get their voices heard. Newer generations listen and communicate through rap-type music(which I don't care for),but the message is every bit as valid and justified as any other form of expression. Youngsters are aware enough to adapt their message to their form of communication.

  7. Deb Geelsdottir 2014.02.17

    My knowledge of rap is very limited, but I think that, like any genre of music, it is maturing. It seems to have evolved away from misogyny and violence to a broader perspective on all humanity.

    Like Mike, my experience is with protest music of my hippy days, beginning with folk music. I'm very disappointed with most of today's music in that it seems commercial success is the only goal. Rap like we heard from this gentleman has more heart and conscience than I've heard from anyone making millions and snapping up awards.

    Yes, I am critical of popular music in the past several decades. Daily we see all sorts of art created with our social institutions in mind. Books, paintings, sculpture, plays, movies. Music? Meh. I believe art has a greater purpose than making money. Both money and a conscience can exist mutually.

    C'mon musicians! Step like your predecessors did!

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