Amerindian Warrior

 
Amerindian Warrior stand up!
Aleuts, Inuit, of the Alaskas…
Inca, Moche, Maya of Central America,
From the Caribbean, Tainos and Arawak
of the greater and lesser Antilles.
Cherokee, Navajo, Apache, Ojibwa,
Hopi, Iroquois of North America
so many, many native tribes,
ALL refer to themselves as “The People”.

Warriors all, many have perished
all have lost their link to the land,
to their ancestors, worst of all
their identity, forced to integrate
or the most hated word assimilate!    
First come the to expeditions
then the missionaries
“must save these savage’s souls!”
then integration,  assimilation,  
the exile and then… annihilation.

Why have you lost yourselves?!
Recapture your birth right
resuscitate your beautiful languages
your precious customs, the beliefs
and respect for nature, of all life.
Teach it, preach it,
and give it to the young
they must know where
their lineage was begun,
know one can take
what you do not wish to give
retake what is yours
and relearn how to live.

Wear your paints, beads
and talismans the vestments
that identify who you are
be proud and claim it loud.
The people will endure
because the spirit is the land
and the land was, is and will be
our great mother, our spirit!

Gypsy Red 7/20/13