Guatemala Song: reflections of a nursing student

BLOG POST posted on September 13, 2010 by Michael

Folks we met in San Miguel Ixtahuacan, opposing Canadian mining giant Goldcorp Inc.'s mine in their community. Struggling for their children.

Grandmothers (abuelas) struggling for their children.

Children.

Child in front of cracked infrastructure to house. His family claims the cracks were caused by blasts from the mine.

Walk in the power, children.

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In the spirit of profound reflection and creating a saner planet through solidarity and struggle (in the name of our children) my buddy Ivan and I wrote this song.  The chorus lyrics were inspired/ stolen from a song I heard on the streets during the anti-Olympics movement (if any one knows the name/ artist, please let me know, eh?)

The verses were a reflection of our studies in Guatemala, where we worked/ studied under a solidarity model (as opposed to a charity model).  For further context, see my previous post "Meeting with Canadian Embassy in Guatemala: Gold Corp. mining in San Miguel."

Guatemala Song: reflections of a nursing student

Chorus:

Children walk in the power

Children walk in the power

Walk in the power, children

Walk in the power, children

Walk in the power.  Walk in the power.  Walk in the power, children.

Verse 1: 

What does it mean to live free?  I've been asking myself since 2003.  Oppression masked as economics, ideology- the Western version of democracy.  Once with weapons, now the stock exchange: Guatemalan labour for pocket change.  With honour, their heads they lift.  Indigenous respond with a raised fist.  For their children, for the people, they resist.  For the children, for the people, they resist.

Chorus:

Verse 2: 

It started in 1954 when the people knew who they were voting for.  It didn't last long, as U.S. backed coup due to the C.I.A and United Fruit.  And it's easy to forget and disengage: ignorance is bliss- this is what they say.  They raped womyn as they cried.  Killed hundreds of thousands: an official genocide.  Engaged in the struggle as Ernesto has done; we move for peace united under the people's sun.

Chorus:

Verse 3:

The struggle is over the elite will say.  I've seen first hand it continues to this day.  This colonialism, this is Gold corp.  This is Canadian mining, their vision is short.  Just as we destroy Afghanistan we're exploiting Guatemala with our pension plan.  We sit in their homes as the abuelas weep.  Brutal repression, the situation is deep.  Food, water, shelter they contaminate.  Their slogan reads, "we produce at the lowest rate."  People's lives Gold corp. will compromise.  This psychopathic practice will be their demise.  Indigenous respond with raised fists.  For their children, for the people, they resist!

Chorus.