Floyd Red Crow Westerman - "Where Were You When?"

Where were you when
We needed you our friend?
Where were you when
We needed you to ben
And now you claim to be
Part Souix or Cherokee
But where were you when
We came close to the end?

When our land was being stolen
justifies
When we were being massacured
You didn't even cry
When they put us on reservation
You didn't loose any sleep
When we were starving half to death
You had enough to eat!

Where were you when
we needed you, our friend?
where were you when
We needed you to bend
And now you claim to be
Part Souix or Cherokee
But where were you when
We came close to the end?

When we had no voice
You never said a word
When we cried out to you
You never even heard
When our freedom was being denied
You never questioned why
When we needed help
Somehow, the well was always dry.

So tell me,
Where were you when
We needed you, our friend?
Where were you when,
We needed you to bend?
And now you claim to be!
part souix or cherokee
But where were you when,
We came close to the end?

Where were you when
We needed you, our friend?
Where were you when,
We needed you to bend?
And now you claim to be!
part souix or cherokee
But where were you when,
We came close to the end?

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Native
• American
• Music
• Floyd
• Red
• Crow
• Westerman
• Where
• Were
• You
• When
• Custer
• died
• for
• your
• sins

[runingblackbear]

been here by your side fighting for your rights been here all the time you just didnt know been here fighting the fight that where i have been right beside you my friend cherokee paint clan

[jarrodtroutman9]

This is so true. Even to this day.. I live in Tahlequah, OK. The Cherokee Nation is in a mess and people who are Cherokee, deny it. But not me! I was Native before being Native was "cool."

[NativeAmerican4Life]

@6Nations4life That's basically what I already said in my other replies to this comment :) Thank you for clarifying. I agree.

[6Nations4life]

@NativeAmerican4Life

theres lots we can still do were still fighting for our land and rights in canada and the USA.

and this song can still apply to theres a difference in says im proud native american and not fighting with us for our rights and continuing to fight the USA that is trying to sufficate

memeber of the Seneca Nation Heron Clan

[stpthreat1]

sioux pride! support the lineal descendents of the loyal mdewakanton sioux (GO WOLFCHILD & MKLAW!!!!!!!!!!)

[sbjoe99]

ALSO to the person that said "the black Cherokees are called freedmen". thats not actually correct. Freemen were Free'd slaves that WERE NOT racially Indian. They Cherokee nation was forced by the federal government to allow the freed men to remain as "members" of the tribe to live among them on the OK Reservation. Some of the freedmen married into the tribe and had children. So not all Black cherokees are "freedmen" only the descendants of the freedmen that NEVER intermarried into the tribe.

[TimShred]

then there are those of us who only want to think of all people as only one race that being mankind. Personally I am ashamed of the misdeeds inflicted upon the native americans by the white man and find very little comfort in knowing my quaker ancestor honestly thought they were trying to help.

[NativeAmerican4Life]

@melas169226 XD No, no... most likely my fault for responding three times because I lack a to-the-point skill of writing.

Making this the fourth.

[NativeAmerican4Life]

@melas169226 Then again, I suppose that's not true. You can always stand and speak up for what you believe in and discover more about your ancestry so it will never be completely lost.

[NativeAmerican4Life]

@melas169226 When it was written, the song was directed at those who waited to come out with their relations to natives when battles simmered down and we had already lost our lands and treaties. To say you're proud to be something you refused to stand up for when you COULD have at the time is an insult.

The same doesn't necessarily apply to anyone today. lol There's nothing we can do about what happened NOW.

Still, glad you're proud of it ^^