Indian Summer
Aztec Jade Lyrics

The lyrics of Aztec Jade's "Indian Summer" offer a powerful commentary on the devastating impact of European colonization on indigenous communities in the Americas. The opening lines implore the listener to "gaze upon the heavens" as "the sky cracks wide open," a metaphor for the upheaval and destruction wrought by the arrival of foreign invaders. The storm clouds filled with lightning and rolling thunder symbolize the violence and chaos that ensue as the "white dogs" - a pejorative term for European colonizers - come crawling with their lies and deceit. It is a day of judgement for the native peoples, who are powerless in the face of the overwhelming force and resources of their conquerors.

The song then paints a vivid picture of the destruction and devastation wrought upon the land and its inhabitants. The fires burning the prairie and the thinning herds of buffalo symbolize the environmental degradation wrought by the colonizers, who destroyed the natural balance of the ecosystem through their exploitative practices. The image of spirits carrying the singer's body across the divide speaks to the profound sense of loss and displacement experienced by indigenous peoples as their traditional way of life is destroyed. Meanwhile, the armies raiding the village and spilling the blood of warriors point to the savage violence and atrocities committed by the colonizers against the native peoples.

Yet despite the harrowing descriptions of destruction and brutality, the song concludes on a note of hope and resilience. The singer acknowledges that they are being rounded up like cattle and led to the slaughter, but they pray to their gods and vow that justice will be served. The final lines capture the enduring spirit of resistance and determination that has defined indigenous peoples' resistance to colonization and oppression throughout history.