Our River

I'd give up all my music to give it all back When I was 13 years old, I never thought I'd feel trapped In these old emotions, about the river they dammed Where water was life, but diversion was in the plans But leadership signed and it created divide 3.6 to the people, who were all left blind Some sat around and waited for hand outs of money It was hard to see youth to see what we were becoming Cause when the river died, it killed us inside I still ask myself "why did our leadership lie?" I'm pretty sure on that day, our ancestors cried Now I'm a man that will try to come back to the pride Of a nation that is strong and still lives from the land Cause our leaders did us wrong when they strayed off the path Keep tradition alive, we gotta learn to survive Cause in my heart, I hear this song inside Dandeh maag, jeh dew timman Eshkeh satch tie yaan Ehjii waptimaan Ehjee bumshkaii yaan En Siibiimnaan Ehjii datetimaa, moosh jeh whaptimaan Ehjii niptiiyaan, ehjii indouwoo yaan En Siibiimnaan Our leaders don't even fight no more they just give in They're all about the money leaving the mess for the children After every single dime spent, no more mines left Chiefs will still be getting rich off our lives Check the facts and the documents, this is our letter When will the lies end? we want our land treated better I voted for a cause, now I despise it History repeating itself, I feel I recognize this It's not about giving the boot or fighting for truth It's about having better schools that would light up the youth A true Cree leader that gives us something to do Not some money-hungry Cree who's got nothing to lose And for the sell-outs who bail out on their own people For the love of the money, it's the root of all evil Still waiting on the promises they haven't delivered I'm just going through the memories of paddling our river Dandeh maag, jeh dew timman Eshkeh satch tie yaan Ehjii waptimaan Ehjee bumshkaii yaan En Siibiimnaan Ehjii datetimaa, moosh jeh whaptimaan Ehjii niptiiyaan, ehjii indouwoo yaan En Siibiimnaan