Indian Reservation

The very first record I got to call my own was a 45 RPM single of "Indian Reservation" by Paul Revere & the Raiders. I got it for my 11th birthday along with a nifty blue portable turntable (and "Where Evil Grows" by the Poppy Family).

Considering the current pipeline protests in North Dakota and the state of indigenous tribes here in Canada, the lyrics are still to this day pretty bang on. 

It's also cool that one of my life's purposes is to help bring tribes, tongues, people and nations into the Kingdom of God. Initially I thought that meant solely the refugees I was working with. But as I went on, the Lord impressed upon me He was referring to Canada's First Nation people as well. 

You might even say "Indian Reservation" being the inaugural item in my life of music was rather prophetic. 

After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands (Revelation 7:9)

They took the whole Cherokee nation
Put us on this reservation
Took away our ways of life
The tomahawk and the bow and knife
Took away our native tongue
And taught their English to our young
And all the beads we made by hand
Are nowadays made in Japan
Cherokee people, Cherokee tribe
So proud to live, so proud to die
They took the whole Indian nation
Locked us on this reservation
Though I wear a shirt and tie
I'm still part redman deep inside
Cherokee people, Cherokee tribe
So proud to live, so proud to die
But maybe someday when they learn
Cherokee nation will return, will return, will return