Genocidal Survivors

They call me Brave Heart Not because of my courage but because it is my last name And not because I "like" Mel Gibson that much but because it is how I was raised. Half black and native girl raised on the Reservation With the beautiful people of The Oglala Lakota Nation. Two times their tone as a dark girl among Natives I was taught to hold my own. You see it is the two worlds that brought me light And it is my last name that gives me the strength to fight. They call me Brave Heart Like the beat of a drum And the hold of a knot, my destiny cannot be undone. High centered in between A mixture of African decent and Indigenous being. I see the greater picture And I write the words to my own scripture. I feel the power of my ancestors blood through my veins And I scream out their existence in my last name. LILILILILILI I was shackled and beaten as my African mothers And I share in the pain of the slave trade with my sisters and brothers Our truths will prevail through HIStory, And we will restore our Ancestors glory. They call me Brave Heart But my skin and biracial split aren't what separate me from the rest I just know that born into this life I am blessed I am grateful for those who fought for me and our bloodline to pull through And I am here today to fight for them too. You cannot defeat those who are not afraid to die, And you cannot fool those who see through lies. Although we were hit with everything from slavery to genocide they could still never kill Our Native and Black pride. We know exactly who we are Because the blood in us proves our ancestors pushed us far. It is not over for us We have refilled our cup, So no matter how much you knock us down we will Stand back up. They call us Brave Hearts. Akiza - a war cry used to celebrate the spirit of our ancestors and their fight- LILILILILI