Red Soil Memories (Epekwitk’s Sorrow)
[Intro] (The sound of a cold wind blowing from afar. The vibrating "boing-oing" sound of the Ainu mukkuri overlaps. A moment later, the Mi'kmaq hand drum, like a rumbling from the earth, begins to beat in a steady rhythm, like a heartbeat.) [Verse 1: Spoken Word] (The music lowers slightly, and the calm voice of an old man begins to speak) "Oh, hello there. Forgive me, I didn't mean to startle you. Take a look at my boots. The soil of this island is a truly magnificent red, isn't it? But tell me, do you know why this earth is so red? It’s not just the iron or the clay. Within every single grain, there are the prayers of those who lived here thousands of years ago—those who called this island 'Epekwitk' and lived in harmony with the forests and the spirits." [Verse 2: Spoken Word] (The drum rhythm gradually grows stronger) "And then, there are the tears of those who crossed the ocean later... the blood, the sweat, and the despair when they realized they had been deceived. This earth has soaked it all up. This beautiful island where you live so proudly today... Once, there were the 'People of the Forest' here. They had no written language, yet they could speak perfectly with nature itself. But then, kings and nobles from far-off lands drew arbitrary lines on maps—as if drawing lots—and stole their home away." [Chorus] (The speaking stops. A Native American flute plays a sorrowful, crying melody. The Mi'kmaq heartbeat and the Mukkuri vibrations reach a climax, overlapped by a wordless, chant-like chorus) [Verse 3: Spoken Word] (The music settles again, returning to a reflective tone) "It is heartbreakingly similar to a story from a northern island in my own country... a place called Hokkaido. It’s the story of a proud people called the Ainu. They, too, were cheated out of their treasures and driven from their land. 'Pioneers,' 'Settlers'... History textbooks praise those who discovered new lands as heroes. But beneath their feet, there are always the tears of the people who were erased." [Verse 4: Spoken Word] (In a gentle voice, entrusting the future to the child) "Listen closely. The reason I came here today, with these mud-stained boots, is to take those lost 'grains of tears' and turn them into a song once more, to release them into the sky. May I tell you the rest of the story?" [Outro] (The sound of the flute drifts away. Finally, the Mi'kmaq drum and the Mukkuri synchronize, fading out quietly but leaving a certain lingering resonance. Only the sound of the wind remains)
