Rise Up Tuscarora Nation

Many Tuscarora people Remained in the south east Got by the exportation, slaughter and disease Those who escaped removal and slavery Survived the years by sacrificing tribal identity Pushed to the borders and counties and state lines Back hills of swamplands and mama's tall hidden Pines Only to exist the confined territories Designates the census record minority "Free people of color" or "issue free" papers No Indian names, No Indian Land claimers I pray stand up! Rise up Tuscarora Nation I pray stand up! Rise up Tuscarora People Authorities, Holy men, missionaries' Tight control Sent Christ, their only savior To wash away the native soul Erase their native language, birthright And who they are So generations later, will laugh at the truth And don't recognize the scar Shame, denial disbelief, lost stories, Unknown memories Subject of the ridicule, Crossed up red nigger, half breed blues (mule) Not everyone forgets, old spirits come back Good and bad And the war they fought then, they fight Again and again Trying to get back what's been lost or taken Beckons the genocidal sleep To rise up and awaken! I pray stand up! Rise up Tuscarora Nation I pray stand up! Rise up Tuscarora People It's true that through the years Run-aways could find a home Accepting other lineage, well the race Became quite whole Still, they are the people Indigenous to the land They fight for recognition, Pray Indian Country understands Don't need Federal designation, No handouts from the man He'll ray on their desperation, Make dependants of his greedy plan Mr. Genealogy, BIA blood quantum man Slice and dice Govn't aid, cut half the people, Divide the land Don't sell out for his disease, he'll slowly kill You once again You survived so long trying to be free Fight the power with Sovereignty I pray stand up! (Chorus) A hundred fifty years ago, Was the last you saw the hidden escape Indian war paths and trails, Escorts to the north, the Underground Railroad Over New York and Canada's border, A few got up to their northern kin While ten's of thousands stayed hid And enslaved down south While north couldn't hear us scream and shout Over your homelands and money Southern pines clear-cut, the North cash in There ain't nothing you can say or do about it, Cause history says you don't exist 50-60 thousand more silenced away Paper genocide, recreate Tribal names As the state digs up your ancestors, They'll deny your tribal name You are the ancestors, you are the land That you save To honor the future generations You must honor the stolen graves! I pray stand up! (Chorus)