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Treaties

from The Bridge by Frank Waln

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lyrics

Intro (Suzan Harjo):
The treaty story, of course, begins before there was a United States because it was nation to nation amongst the Native nations and the European nations.

The story’s told with lies/ lies/ lies
The treaty signed

*newscast snippet
“Since the founding of this country the US government has made and broken over 500 treaties with various Indian tribes all across our nation”

The war was lost
The treaty signed
I had leave my life behind
I live among you well disguised
I has a name but nevermind

Verse 1 (Faith Spotted Eagle):
They were unilateral agreements between two sovereigns
Meaning that it was Indigenous people here and the US government
And it was equal
We still retain that
The other way that it’s supported and retained even though the US government refuses sometimes to recognize that
And maybe these younger people that are listening to this can change this
Because this is about healing
It’s about forgiving
Do you know what the sixth article of the US constitution is?
That treaties are the supreme law of the land
It actually says that in the US constitution
Treaties are the supreme law of the land

Chorus:
The treaty signed (3x)
And truth that dies
The treaty signed (3x)
And truth that dies

You serve them well I’m not surprised
You’re of their kin
You’re of their kind
You served them well I’m not surprised
I had a name but nevermind


(Various samples):

“You know it turns out that the problem with treaties begins not on the Native side, but like many problems, begins on the western side”

“the US government has made and broken over 500 treaties with various Indian tribes all across our nation”

Verse 2 (Suzan Harjo):
Most of the non Native people think of Indian treaties as “Indian treaties”
They don’t think of them as their treaties
And these are everyone’s treaties
These are the United States and the Native Nations
And we all have rights and we all have responsibilities
The United States gained a territory over which to govern through treaties
If you don’t know treaties
Now I’m not talking about treaty law
But if you don’t know treaties
You just don’t know american history

But nevermind

The treaty signed (3x)

Bridge:
Why is it important the American people understand this?
I mean most people study a little bit about Native American history in school
But then, for many, I think it disappears from our daily news diet
So why was this important and specifically the Treaties
Why look at the Treaties

Verse 3 (Kevin Grover):
We felt the United States/ we felt the people
Needed a civics lesson and a reminder
That the constitution doesn’t just refer to the federal government and the state governments
It ask refers to the Indian tribes

Chorus:
The treaty signed (3x)
And truth that dies
The treaty signed (3x)
And truth that dies


This is about healing
This is about healing

Younger people healing
Younger people healing
This about healing (2x)

Outro:
The war was lost
The treaty signed
I was not caught
I crossed the line
I was not caught
Though many tried
I live among you well disguised

*newscast snippet
“Since the founding of this country the US government has made and broken over 500 treaties with various Indian tribes all across our nation”

But nevermind

credits

from The Bridge, released September 1, 2017

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about

Frank Waln Rosebud, South Dakota

Award winning Hip Hop artist/producer from the Rosebud Reservation.

Sicangu Lakota.

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