🎵 Steemit Open Mic Week 101 - “The Animals Come” (Original Song)
For our 8th consecutive Open Mic entry, we have a song inspired by the Standing Rock Movement. This one celebrates the waters of the world, and honors the water protectors. I shared this song here once before, and it continues to take shape as we learn to play it.
“The Animals Come”
The Song
Hummingbird heron butterfly
Two young swans
Gracing the waters
Higher than the mountain peaks
Breezing through clouds
Blessing the waters
Angelfish sea star moon jelly
Great blue whales
Gracing the waters
From the darkness to the daylight
Blasting through waves
Blessing the waters
Buffalo turtle mountain lion
A doe and her fawn
Gracing the waters
Crying out loud hallelu
Braving a blizzard
Blessing the waters
Red yellow black white four directions
Little children
Gracing the waters
Peaceful prayerful hand-in-hand
Being in ceremony
Blessing the waters
🌞 🌜 🌟
The Story
This song originated in December 2016, soon after I returned from Standing Rock. I was there on a photojournalism mission, and I experienced many mystical encounters with wild animals. One morning, on the way to an "action," bald eagles stood on fence posts, watching our caravan. Horses greeted us. And a huge herd of free-roaming bison appeared on the surrounding mountains, serving as a reminder of the Spirits with us.
Meanwhile, in mid-November 2016, thousands of water protectors from 200+ tribes gathered as a “Greater Family” on the campgrounds surrounding the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation, standing together to protect the waters. Specifically, this was an effort to safeguard the longest river in North America, the Missouri River, from a massive oil pipeline called DAPL (Dakota Access Pipeline).
Film preview.
To me, this little girl in the pink jacket is a good example of the peaceful and prayerful warriors that are the focus of my story and film. Here, this girl sits on her mom's shoulders, marching with 1000 relatives to create a massive "Four Directions" symbol, visible from above. I'm sure you can imagine what a powerful impression this made on all of us. The documentary film I recorded there is called Standing In Solidarity With The Standing Rock Sioux.
When I left the Rosebud camp, many others stayed, enduring sub-freezing temperatures in the winter months there in North Dakota. I returned to Austin and quickly produced my film, publishing it on Thanksgiving, when the Movement was still at its peak. While I can't exactly track any impression I made in the Movement, I can say that the Movement made a major impression on me, and it continues to move me.
The Acknowledgements
Naturally, I owe many thanks to the woman I sing with: Kat Lindsay (@wildfamily). Thank you, Kat. Thanks to Nana, the woman who watches the kids when we make these recordings. And thanks to Daniel, Rosalie, Gabriel (the kids) who allow us to rehearse these songs with them at bedtime and morning.
This event lights me up week after week, and so I'd like to thank @luzcypher for bringing us Steemit Open Mic Week #101. Thanks to the sponsors: @pfunk, @ausbitbank, @curie, @isaria, @aggroed, who keep this community challenge so valuable and worthwhile. Thanks to the community who keeps it fresh, and vibrant.
Hugs and high-fives to all of you!
This post contains 100% original content by @cabelindsay.
Thank you for posting for the both of us. I like this one. Especially the animals that come out in the end! 🐝🐵🐳
Ow-ow-oWoo! 🐺 It's always a pleasure when we're singing together.
I'm learning to show love in new ways, through this practice of singing together. It's about honoring each other through acceptance and appreciation. And it's about being in the vibration of joy, and expressing from that place.
Thanks so much for helping to solidify these qualities in me through your gracious words. Aho.
Thanks for the post, cabelindsay.
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Sounds great you guys!
Nice!