[War Chant Intro] They called them the Indian Wars But listen when the nations speak This was land This was life This was resistance [Chorus] This land remembers This land remembers Break every promise but the people remember Draw new borders make the map look different Move us to reservations still the land remembers [Verse 1 Cheyenne and Arapaho] Gold in Colorado brought a rush to our ground Miners moved in and pushed our people out Black Kettle came with a promise of peace Camped at Sand Creek where the fighting should cease Shivvington charged and the treaty talk shattered Sand Creek Massacre showed whose word never mattered Cheyenne Arapaho raised voices together You can bury the truth but the land remembers [Chorus] This land remembers This land remembers Break every promise but the people remember Draw new borders make the map look different Move us to reservations still the land remembers [Verse 2 Sioux Nation] Minnesota promises broken and delayed Then the Sioux were forced toward Dakota Territory Bozeman Trail cut straight through our nation Red Cloud answered with organized resistance Forts in our country brought conflict and pressure Fetterman fell when his troops met the warriors Eighteen sixty eight made the government swear Keep settlers out of the Black Hills there [Verse 3 Lakota and Cheyenne] Gold hit the hills and the treaty got ignored Sitting Bull said this land is not yours Not one pinch of dust not a piece gets sold Crazy Horse came with a nation standing bold Little Bighorn in eighteen seventy six Custer saw thousands but still took the risk The Army lost but returned even stronger Forced onto reservations as the war stretched longer [Chorus] This land remembers This land remembers Break every promise but the people remember Draw new borders make the map look different Move us to reservations still the land remembers [Verse 4 Nez Perce] Nez Perce people kept the peace for years Then gold on our land made the future unclear Government order said Idaho reservation Chief Joseph chose movement over confrontation Two hundred warriors guarded families beside them Six hundred women and children behind them One thousand miles with the border in sight Forty miles short when the Army closed tight Chief Joseph surrendered but his purpose stayed clear Better treatment for his people year after year [Verse 5 Chiricahua Apache] Southwest sun with the pressure turned high Chiricahua Apache would not be confined Forced toward a reservation in Arizona Geronimo crossed into Mexico Through the eighteen eighties resistance remained Thousands pursued his small band through the range Eighteen eighty six brought the final surrender The fighting slowed but the people remember [Bridge] Black Kettle Red Cloud Sitting Bull Crazy Horse Chief Joseph Geronimo Different nations Different ground Same broken promises passed around Not one story and not one voice Each nation fought for its land and choice [Final Chorus] This land remembers This land remembers Break every promise but the people remember Draw new borders make the map look different Move us to reservations still the land remembers This land remembers Names live forever Cheyenne Arapaho Apache Nez Perce Lakota and Sioux let the whole class listen This was not disappearance This was resistance [War Chant Outro]
