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04 Nez Perce: Promises - The Book of Change (Live)
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| Description |
Short Song Description:
in Hailey, ID 7-15-12
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| Metadata |
Song Length:
| 5:54 |
Primary Genre:
| Classical-Contemporary |
Secondary Genre:
| - |
| Lyrics |
Narrator
In the beginning
there was the Creator - Hunya Waat
who gave the Nimiipuu
mountains, (telescope)
forests,
rivers,
winds,
summer,
winter
animal people.
He was in all his creations.
And the Nimiipuu
Honored the Creator and
Mother Earth... pike wetes
who sustained them.
And there were Wyakins
guardian spirits
Who came to each Nimiipuu
Quietly, in the wilderness
As thunder, bear, eagle, wind, wolf, deer...
And was a guide through life.
Then the people heard
about "The Book"
its pages filled with
words that
might protect against evil.
It was brought
by pale god-messengers
Spalding, Whitman and others
who believed
urgently
in a God
who lived
beyond the sky.
But these men with
their Bible books
were impatient,
with non-believers
and with their anger
the land was filled with no
CHORUS
No...no...
no to traditional clothes,
to Nimiipuu language
and earth names,
No to Hunya Waat and
Wyakin spirits
No to Longhouses
of worship,
to communion with ancestors,
and with the earth.
Instead...curiosities.
Water words of baptism,
the bitter taste of
body, blood, communion
God houses of mournful song
and prayer alone
on the knees.
And strange tools
to turn over
mother earth's body
scatter seed in her mouth and eyes
until the People
looked around
and saw
nature distressed.
NARRATOR
Could this God
give them courage
against their enemies,
wisdom to lead
their people?
Was it in The Book
The Nimiipu asked each other?
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