He recorded three albums, beginning in 1984 with a self-titled debut that had a such a strong country flavor that forever after he was most often referred to as a country artist. This may not have been such a problem as country & western has always been one of the most popular Anglo musics among aboriginal people, in Australia as well as the United States. (Down under, Hank Williams is the most-selected artists on aboriginal jukeboxes.) Red Bow's second recorded work, Journey to the Spirit World, remains a favorite of many listeners. It features songs and stories that he remembered learning from his elders and incorporates singing in both English and the Lakota language. His final work was the beautiful, eloquent Black Hills Dreamer, which featured two of his most famous songs, "Run, Indian, Run" and "Indian Love Song." A posthumous collection of favorites from each of these records, Indian Reservation has also been released. Several of his songs were also featured on the soundtrack to Hard Rider, which was not the opposite of Easy Rider, but a documentary on rodeo riders in Alberta and Saskatchewan. He was among the first group of artists to be inducted in the NAMA (Native American Music Awards) Hall of Fame, alongside Jimi Hendrix, who apparently had Cherokee as well as purple haze in his blood.
He has had a few small film parts, such as a walk-on in Thunderheart, but will mostly be remembered in the world of cinema for Pow Wow Highway, in which there is a character named Buddy Red Bow that is partially, if not totally, based on the famous singer. At first considered one of the best films about Native Americans, the film seems to have been the victim of a late critical backlash, in which one writer claimed the depiction of Red Bow made him "cringe." ~ Eugene Chadbourne, All Music Guide
Indian Reservation
Buddy Red Bow Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Put us on a Reservation
Took away our way of life
Tomahawk and a Bowie Knife
Took away our Native tongue
Taught their English to our young
And all the beads we made by hand
Cherokee People
Cherokee Tribe
So proud to live
So proud to die
They took the whole Lakota Nation
Locked us on this reservation
Well I can't wear no shirt and tie
Cause I'm a red man deep inside
Lakota People
Lakota Tribe
So proud to live
So proud to die
Maybe someday when they learn
All the Nations will return
Cherokee People
Cherokee Tribe
So proud to live
So proud to die
Lakota People
Lakota Tribe
So proud to live
So proud to die
Mohawk People
Mohawk Tribe
So proud to live
So proud to die
Navajo People
Navajo Tribe
So proud to live
So proud to die
Indian People
Indian Tribes
So proud to live
So proud to die
Buddy Red Bow's song "Indian Reservation" is a poignant protest song that speaks about the widespread colonisation and systematic oppression of Native American communities by European settlers. In the song, Buddy speaks on behalf of the Cherokee, Lakota, Mohawk, Navajo, and other Native American tribes that were displaced from their ancestral lands and forced to live on reservations under harsh conditions. He criticises the forced assimilation of Native Americans into Western culture and highlights the loss of their cultural heritage, language, and traditional way of life.
The lyrics suggest that the government and the settlers took away everything that was sacred to the Native American tribes - their land, language, culture, and identity. The lines "Took away our way of life/Tomahawk and a Bowie Knife" indicate the violent means used by Europeans to suppress Native American culture. The next line, "Took away our Native tongue/Taught their English to our young," highlights the cultural genocide perpetrated by the settlers as they attempted to erase the identity of the Native American people. The line "Well, you can buy them from Japan" suggests the commercialisation and appropriation of Native American culture by others.
The chorus of the song reiterates the pride that the Native American people have in their tribes even after years of oppression and forced assimilation. The lines "Cherokee People/Cherokee Tribe/So Proud to Live/So Proud to Die" highlight the unity and resilience of the Cherokee nation. The same goes for the Lakota, Mohawk, Navajo and other Native American tribes that are mentioned in the song. The final line, "Indian People/Indian Tribes/So Proud to Live/So Proud to Die," shows that the song is not just about a specific tribe or nation but about all the indigenous people of America.
Line by Line Meaning
They took the whole Cherokee Nations
The government forcefully removed all members of the Cherokee Nation.
Put us on a Reservation
They forced us to live on land that was designated exclusively for Native Americans.
Took away our way of life
They stripped us of our traditional customs, practices, and beliefs.
Tomahawk and a Bowie Knife
They took away our weapons, leaving us defenseless.
Took away our Native tongue
They forbade us from speaking our own language and imposed English on us.
Taught their English to our young
They made sure that the younger generation only learned English and not our own language.
And all the beads we made by hand
The handmade beaded jewelry we created was no longer valued or appreciated by the colonizers.
Well, you can by them from Japan
The commercial interest in our jewelry has shifted overseas to countries like Japan.
Cherokee People
A proud and strong Indian Nation.
Cherokee Tribe
A group of people united by a common ancestry, language, and cultural practices.
So proud to live
We are proud of our heritage and the way we live our lives.
So proud to die
We will never abandon our beliefs and traditions, even in death.
They took the whole Lakota Nation
The government forced all members of the Lakota Nation onto a reservation.
Locked us on this reservation
We were unable to leave the reservation and were kept there against our will.
Well I can't wear no shirt and tie
I cannot conform to the dress and lifestyle imposed by the colonizers.
Cause I'm a red man deep inside
I will always honor my Native American heritage and identity.
Maybe someday when they learn
Hopefully, one day the colonizers will acknowledge and rectify the atrocities they have committed.
All the Nations will return
All the Indian Nations they have conquered will regain their land, language, and cultural heritage.
Mohawk People
A fierce and proud Native American tribe.
Mohawk Tribe
A group of people united by a common ancestry, language, and cultural practices.
Navajo People
A resilient and resourceful Native American tribe.
Navajo Tribe
A group of people united by a common ancestry, language, and cultural practices.
Indian People
Native American people who are proud of their heritage.
Indian Tribes
A group of people united by a common ancestry, language, and cultural practices who were forcibly removed from their homeland.
Contributed by Alyssa L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.