Colors of the Wind
Judy Kuhn Lyrics

You think I'm an ignorant savage
You believe that I am uneducated and uncivilized

And you've been so many places
You have traveled extensively

I guess it must be so
I accept that it is likely true

But still I cannot see
However, I do not understand

If the savage one is me
If the uncivilized person is me

How can there be so much that you don't know
How can there be so much that you are unaware of?

You don't know?
Do you not know?

You think you own whatever land you land on
You believe that you can claim any land you set foot on

The Earth is just a dead thing you can claim
You view the Earth as an inanimate object that you can take possession of

But I know every rock and tree and creature
However, I understand that every feature of nature has its own identity and purpose

Has a life, has a spirit, has a name
Each has its own essence, consciousness, and identity

You think the only people who are people
You think that only those who share your appearance and beliefs are truly human

Are the people who look and think like you
Are those whose physical and mental attributes match yours

But if you walk the footsteps of a stranger
However, if you follow the path of someone who is unfamiliar to you

You'll learn things you never knew, you never knew
You will discover knowledge and insights that you were previously unaware of

Have you ever heard the wolf cry to the blue corn moon?
Have you ever listened to the wolf's howl during a particular lunar phase?

Or asked the grinning bobcat why he grinned?
Or inquired as to why the bobcat was smiling?

Can you sing with all the voices of the mountain?
Can you express the full range of emotions and melodies associated with the landscape?

Can you paint with all the colors of the wind?
Can you capture the full sensory experience and symbolism of the atmosphere?

Come run the hidden pine trails of the forest
Join me in exploring the secluded paths among the evergreens

Come taste the sun sweet berries of the Earth
Experience the flavor of nature's bounty

Come roll in all the riches all around you
Rejoice in the abundance that surrounds you

And for once, never wonder what they're worth
Appreciate their intrinsic value, without concern for their monetary value

The rainstorm and the river are my brothers
The elements of nature are akin to familial relationships for me

The heron and the otter are my friends
I consider these animals as my companions and equals

And we are all connected to each other
We are all part of the same interconnected system

In a circle, in a hoop that never ends
In a perpetually circular and unbroken structure

How high does the sycamore grow?
To what height can a sycamore tree reach?

If you cut it down, then you'll never know
If you destroy it, you will never have the answer

For whether we are white or copper skinned
Regardless of our racial heritage

We need to sing with all the voices of the mountain
We must each express ourselves fully, like the various sounds of the mountains

We need to paint with all the colors of the wind
We must each utilize all of our senses and emotions to represent the essence of the wind

You can own the Earth and still
You may possess power and wealth

All you'll own is Earth until
But you will not truly possess anything until

You can paint with all the colors of the wind
You can appreciate all aspects of the natural world