“Protect Our Land” Song and Video by Tsleil-Waututh Nation siʔáḿθɘt School Students

“Protect Our Land” Song and Video by Tsleil-Waututh Nation siʔáḿθɘt School Students

News & Updates"Protect Our Land" Song and Video by Tsleil-Waututh Nation siʔáḿθɘt School Students

“Protect Our Land” Song and Video by Tsleil-Waututh Nation siʔáḿθɘt School Students

‘Protect Our Land’ is a song written and recorded by a group of our youth from the Tsleil-Waututh Nation siʔáḿθɘt school. The song and accompanying music video were produced by N’we Jinan, a travelling, Indigenous-led studio that works with First Nations youth across Canada.

We are proud of our youth for sharing their voices in protecting our territory and empowering our community. The song is a way for the students to express themselves and the cultural teachings that are at the core of Tsleil-Waututh Nation siʔáḿθɘt (“si-om-thet”) School.

The school provides a culturally appropriate learning environment that nurtures the well-being of students, families, and the community as a whole. Our program is anchored in the TWN laws of truth, family, culture, and well-being. Land-based learning is practiced regularly with our classes spending considerable time doing outdoor experiential education (OEE) in their traditional territories.

Listen here:

Read more about the process in the North Shore News:

LYRICS:

CHORUS

Protect our land, from the pollution

Hold my hand, let’s find a solution

Heya Heya, it’s not an illusion

Heya heya, this is a movement

TAKIYAH

I am proud of my home and my culture

I get to sing and dance, drum with friends

ARIANNA

Drumming and singing by the ocean and the water

It makes me feel great when I’m on the land walking

Hear the elders talking, hear the elders speak

Always find my peace when I’m chilling by the beach

NAOMI

I find peace at my dad’s house

I wanna make my home and my family proud

Where I’m from, might be a little place

But we keep it charged like batteries, Triple AAA

JOSÉ and ROBBIE

North Shore Way, you put us in a small space

We’ll fight to get our land back

This is our soundtrack

NAOMII T

In the snowy mountains where it’s cold and crisp

I’m trying to make you see like an optometrist

Because my language and culture is out of focus

But you’ll never cut me down like you did the forest

CHORUS

Protect our land, from the pollution

Hold my hand, let’s find a solution

Heya Heya, it’s not an illusion

Heya heya, this is a movement

LAWRENCE

My knowledge is heavy

My nation is deadly

But all I wanna know is

If the bannock is ready

KADENCE

I’ll tell you what’s on my mind

I don’t like the pipeline

Get the oil out

The water is our lifeline

LAYLA and TYLIE

They stole our land, we want it back

We’re proud of the culture, our language too

We follow steps our elders do

We like weaving together

We learn and get better

When we make mistakes

We help each other

KENYON

I’m going in for my nation, no hesitation, it’s land back

I keep my culture on my shoulders like a backpack

I live for these mountains, I’m counting my blessings

Give every ounce of strength so my family ain’t stressin’

LEXI

Learn about the past,

The good and the bad

Clean up the land, the ocean, the sky

The wind in my hand

CHORUS

Protect our land, from the pollution

Hold my hand, let’s find a solution

Heya Heya, it’s not an illusion

Heya heya, this is a movement

GEORGIA (it’s not the same without you)

Cold waves, flow pulls me, the current stays

Canoeing in the water, my happy place

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