Stonechild
English lyrics by Buick Audra
Lushootseed lyrics by Cassy Fowler (Suquamish), Zalmai Zahir ʔəswəli (Puyallup), and Chris Duenas (Puyallup)
Lushootseed lyrics by Cassy Fowler (Suquamish), Zalmai Zahir ʔəswəli (Puyallup), and Chris Duenas (Puyallup)
the day before their independence day
his independence would be taken away
and then the colors would light up the sky
and someone’s history would be defined
in a park by water in a Northern town
a son and father, people all around
a park by water, children everywhere
a son and father is no longer there
where is your peace in the world of today?
what do you honor, what do you betray?
do you oppress or do you elevate?
what do you face and when do you look away?
in a park by water in a Northern town
a son and father, people all around
a park by water, children everywhere
a son and father is no longer there
cut čəxʷ, “syayaʔ čəł,”
You say, “We are friends.”
tux̌ʷ didiʔł čəxʷ ʔugʷəlald.
But you still killed him.
tuʔəƛ̓, tuc’əbidup, tugʷəlald.
You who had come here, rape the land and kill.
ƛ̓ux̌ʷadᶻ ti ʔiišədčəł a(d)dxʷšəgʷł.
Our people are being slaughtered in your streets.
ʔəčədaʔ! ʔəčəda! ʔəsx̌id həwə ti dəxʷƛ̓ugʷəlald!
#*@*! #*@*! Why are they being killed?
in a park by water in a Northern town
a son and father, children all around
a park by water, people everywhere
a son and father. . .
how can we repair?
ʔəčədaʔ! ʔəčəda! ʔəsx̌id həwə ti dəxʷƛ̓ugʷəlald!
#*@*! #*@*! Why are they being killed?
ʔəsx̌id.
Why?
Your Reign Is Over
Why?
Your Reign Is Over
got the praise you wanted
got the front seat, got the cheat-sheet
and wrote all the new rules
got the power and you flaunted
Mister Headline, Mister All-Mine
and hey, “losers will lose”
all of the air time in all of your life
who have you helped out, man? who did you slight?
all of the gestures of hatred and spite
who have you stood for, man? who got the knife?
sometimes it takes someone else to step in
declare the war over, announce the new win
I don’t want to bruise up your delicate skin
but I’m here to report . . .
yes, sir, I am here to report . . .
surely you know of the fall of past giants
surely you know of insurgents
we’re all around you
squarely at odds with the truths of real science
squarely at odds with the truth
the numbers confound you
all of the air time in all of your life
who have you helped out, man? who did you slight?
all of the gestures of hatred and spite
who have you helped up, man? who got the knife?
sometimes it takes someone else to step in
declare the game over, announce the new win
I don’t want to bruise up your delicate skin
but I’m here to report . . .
yes, sir, I am here to report . . .
there’s another way
that we all know
look the other way
and we all go on
LEAVE! Your reign is over!
LEAVE! Your reign is over!
LEAVE! Your reign is over!
LEAVE! Your reign is over!
