No More Pipeline Blues (On This Land Where We Belong)
From the Music Video No More Pipeline Blues
Nibi, Giizage ‘igoo
Giimiigwech awayn nimiigoo
Giizhaa awayn nimiigoo.
Water, we love you
We thank you
We respect you.
“This is the same water that was here when dinosaurs were here. There is no new water. This is the only water we will ever know. This is the same water my great ancestors drank from and harvested our wild rice upon. This water is sacred, because without water there’s no life. You cannot drink oil.” – Winona LaDuke
On this land where we belong
Surrounded by the northern lights
On this land where we belong
Beneath a starlit night
On this land where we belong
Wild Mahnomen grows
Our blood runs red
through the watershed
of Nimaamaa Aki
On this land where we belong
Rivers, lakes and streams
Flows through the heartland
Of the sacred Mississippi
On this land, to which we belong
From the Canadian Tar Sands
One million barrels of oil a day
To come through these sacred lands
On this land, to which we belong
With oil thicker than crude
Four-thousand workers coming our way
Got them pandemic pipeline blues
“This moment is that moment where we face that oil. This is the moment when we face Line 3 and say no. You will not take our water.” – Winona LaDuke
On this land where we belong
With pipelines that corrode
When they break it will be too late
It will kill this River Road
On this land where we belong
Don’t let that pipeline through
No more drill pads on Native Land
No more pipeline blues
No more drill pads on public land
No more pipeline blues
No more drill pads on sacred land
No more pipeline blues
Don’t let Line 3 come through
You are a story fed by the generations.
You carry songs, grief, triumph, thankfulness, and joy.
Feel their power, as they ascend within you.
As you walk run swiftly, even flying to infinite possibilities.
Let go of that which burdens you.
Let go of any acts of unkindness or brutality.
Let go of that which has burdened your family, your community, your nation—
Let go that which has disturbed your soul.
Let go one breath into another.
Pray thankfulness for this earth we are–
Pray thankfulness for this becoming we are–
For this sunlight touching skin we are—
For this cooling of the water we are—
Listen now as earth sheds her skin.
Listen as the generations move one against the other to make power.
We are bringing in a new story.
We will be accompanied by ancient and new songs
and will celebrate together. – Joy Harjo
Nibi, Giizage ‘igoo
Giimiigwech awayn nimiigoo
Giizhaa awayn nimiigoo.
Water, we love you
We thank you
We respect you.
Words & Music by Larry
Copyright Larry Long Publishing 2021 | BMI
The material contributions below are excluded from the copyright of the underlying composition of No More Pipeline Blues (On This Land Where We Belong):
Dorene Day Waubanewquay (Opening and closing Anishinaabe Prayer for the Water)
Winona LaDuke (Spoken words recorded by Keri Pickett)
Joy Harjo (Spoken word poem; Copyright Joy Harjo, Poet Warrior, (a memoir) W.W. Norton)
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