Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Indians

by Dennis Banks

(I use these song lyrics by this this Native American activist to explain portions of the Racial Identity Development theory as originally put forth by William Cross and further developed by other researchers.)

A friend of mine sang a song called,

“Mama Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to be Cowboys”

and I began to think of a song for Indian people

But, you know, the more I though of good words,

the more I began to think of broken treaties and broken promises and broken homes.

Names like Shivington, Jackson and Custer started running through my mind.

and I said, “Mama don’t let your babies grow up to be Indians”

I thought of the long walk of the Navahos

The Trail of tears, 500 years of Columbus…

and I said, “Mama don’t let your babies grow up to be Indians”

Then I began to think of our ancestors

like Chief Joseph, Seattle, Crazy Horse and Geronimo

and their dreams and what they lived for…

and I said, “Mama let your babies grow up to be Indians”

And my heart began to swell with pride

As I saw Jim Thorpe and Billy Mills in the Olympics.

And in the distance I saw the longest walk across America

and I said, “Mama let your babies grow up to be Indians”

Then I felt the spirituality and strength of our people

In ceremonies, the elders, the women.

I saw the sun dance and the cottonwood tree.

I smelled the sweet grass and the sage that purifies our people.

I saw Leonard Peltier and freedom

I heard the many drums and singers

And watched the gracious beauty of our dancers…

and I said, “Mama make sure your babies grow up to be Indians…make sure”

Boarding Schools & Indian Drums

Click here to see a local school's theatrical production about boarding schools, The Rememberer.

Some groups, like the Navajo, were recruited from NA boarding schools to serve as Code Talkers in WWII, after being chained to bedposts for refusing to stop speaking their Native language. See the Code Talker Dictionary. Carl Gorman (father of famous Navajo/Diné artist and painter, R.C. Gorman) was one of the Code Talkers.

IN THE NEWS
Abused by nun, native woman tells commission about Prince Edward Island boarding schools

P.E.I. survivors of Indian residential schools had an opportunity Tuesday to testify about their horrific treatment at the hands of the federal government and the church.

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission held an all-day hearing at the Rodd Charlottetown Hotel. The commission gives people an opportunity to speak openly, or privately, about the residential school system that existed in Canada for more than 100 years.

Marie Knockwood wrote a song about her time at the Shubenacadie Residential School in Nova Scotia. She told the hearing about sexual abuse she experienced at the hands of a nun.

Children's BOOKS
Stolen Words by Melanie Florence (Author), Gabrielle Grimard (Illustrator)

 I Am Not a Number by Dr. Jenny Kay Dupuis (Author), Kathy Kacer (Author), Gillian Newland (Illustrator)

6 Boarding School Laws Still on the Books

Read more at http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com:81/2014/04/30/6-boarding-school-laws-still-books-154579

1. 25 USC § 302, Indian Reform School—Enacted June 21, 1906
2.  25 USC § 282, Regulations for withholding rations for nonattendance at schools—Enacted March 3, 1893   
3. 25 USC § 280, Patents of lands to missionary boards of religious organizations—Enacted September 21, 1922 
   
4. 25 USC § 282, Regulations by Secretary of the Interior to secure attendance at school—Enacted February 14, 1920  
5. 25 USC § 273, Detail of Army Officer—Enacted June 23, 1879
   
6. 25 USC § 277, Fort Apache military post—Enacted January 24, 1923

MUSIC
This is a great song about Boarding Schools (deculturalization), Role Models, and Cultural Identity.



Johnny Cash Drums Lyrics:
From the Indian reservation to the governmental school
Well they're goin' to educate me to the white men's Golden Rule
And I'm learning very quickly for I've learned to be ashamed
And I come when they call Billy though I've got an Indian name

And there are drums beyond the mountain Indian drums that you can't hear
There are drums beyond the mountain and they're getting mighty near

And when they think that they'd changed me cut my hair to meet their needs
Will they think I'm white or Indian quarter blood or just half breed
Let me tell you Mr teacher when you say you'll make me right
In five hundred years of fighting not one Indian turned white

And there are drums beyond the mountain Indian drums that you can't hear
There are drums beyond the mountain and they're getting mighty near

Well you thought that I knew nothing when you brought me here to school
Just another empty Indian just America's first fool
But now I can tell you stories that are burnt and dried and old
But in the shadow of their telling walks the thunder proud and bold

And there are drums beyond the mountain Indian drums that you can't hear
There are drums beyond the mountain and they're getting mighty near

Long Pine and Sequoia Handsome Lake and Sitting Bull
there's Magnus Colorado with his sleeves so red and full
Crazy Horse the legend those who bit off Custer's soul
They are dead yet they are living with the great Geronimo

And there are drums beyond the mountain Indian drums that you can't hear
There are drums beyond the mountain and they're getting mighty near

Well you may teach me this land's hist'ry but we taught it to you first
We broke your hearts and bent your journeys broken treaties left us cursed
Even now you have to cheat us even though you think us tame
In our losing we found proudness in your winning you found shame

And there are drums beyond the mountain Indian drums that you can't hear
There are drums beyond the mountain and they're getting mighty near

Lyrics/Vocables to Songs I Use in Classes

These are phonetic.  If you did the song with me, and remember the tune, you can probably figure them out again.  Enjoy!

River Song
Brooke Medicine Eagle (Seneca)
(Straight Beat)
(Works with just rattles, no drum, too)

Wishi ta, do ya, do ya, do ya
Wishi ta, do ya, do ya, hay
(Repeat Verse)

Wash a, ta nay ya, hay ya, hay ya
Wash a, ta nay ya, hay ya hay
(Repeat Verse)

(Start over at the top)

:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:

Crow Hop
(Straight Beat with a sideways rock to it)
(You can do this with the lead, or everyone just sings it all together once they get it)

LEAD - Way yo, way yo, way yo; way yo, way yo, way yo
ANSWER - Way yo, way yo, way yo; way yo, way yo , way yo

Way yo, way yo, way yo; way yo, way yo, way yo
Way ya, way ya, way hi yo BEAT
(Repeat Chorus)

:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:

Call of the Sea Turtle
Roberto Borrero (Taino)
(Best with just rattles, no drum)
(Call/Lead and Response/Answer, Repeat each pair for total of 2 calls and 2 responses)

hi hey lay lay (call)
hi hey lay lay (response)

warico carey (call)
warico carey (response)

bo ma tome carey (call)
bo ma tome carey (response)

:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:

Pine Nut Gathering Song

(Paiute)

(Straight Beat with a sideways rock to it)

Tuh-von-ga  boy, wah-nay

Tuh-ven-ah boy, wah-nie wah-no

wah-nie wah-nie wah-no

wuh-nah wah-nie wah-nie wah-no

:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:

Caguana Song

(Robert Mucaro Borrero - Taino)

(fast straight beat)

LEAD - da can ah-boriah, a ta bey

da can ah-boriah, a ta bey

ANSWER - da can ah-boriah, a ta bey

da can ah-boriah, a ta bey

LEAD (deep voice) - boe ma tome, Atabey, boe ma tome

ANSWER - boe ma tome, Atabey, boe ma tome

LEAD - boe ma tome, Atabey, boe ma tome

ANSWER - boe ma tome, Atabey, boe ma tome