Mate Ka Moris Ukun Rasik An
Propagandhi Lyrics


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Dickheads shit-talk huddled and single file. First world frat-boys and prairie skinheads who will never walk a mile or mourn a murdered friend in this tiny woman's shoes. Drink up an mumble your abuse. I'm still humbled by it all:around the same time that i was riding with no hands, busting windows and getting busy behind the sportsplex (with Labonte's older sister decked out in her Speedos), Bella was flinching from the sting of a Depo Proveran "family planning" her own Pearl Harbour and a holocaust spanning 25 years to the rest of her life. A prison my country underwrote in paradise. And in the shadows of Santa Cruz she crossed her fingers behind her back, Built Suharto a trohan horse and lay still til the motherfucker sent her north where as night fell she emerged with a box under her arm that held her pledge of allegiance and her uniform. She laid it at the gates of the Generals embassy and her whisper echoed into dawn as she disappeared:

The truth will set my people free.




Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Propagandhi's "Mate Ka Moris Ukun Rasik An" are a scathing commentary on Western imperialism and the atrocities committed in East Timor. The first verse calls out the apathy and ignorance of those who benefit from the exploitation of others, who never truly understand the suffering of those they oppress. The second verse tells the story of Bella, a woman in East Timor who was forcibly sterilized by the Indonesian government's violent campaign of forced family planning. Bella was able to escape to Santa Cruz, where she became involved in the resistance movement and dedicated her life to fighting for justice and freedom. The final line, "the truth will set my people free," is a powerful statement about the power of speaking out and fighting for one's rights against oppressive regimes.


Line by Line Meaning

Dickheads shit-talk huddled and single file.
Uninformed people speak poorly and together in a scared, conformist manner.


First world frat-boys and prairie skinheads who will never walk a mile or mourn a murdered friend in this tiny woman's shoes.
People who live privileged lives and belong to exclusive groups will not know the pain of those who live in poverty or suffer violence based on ethnicity, gender or other advantages.


Drink up an mumble your abuse.
People use substances to numb their minds to the suffering of others and beat them down.


I'm still humbled by it all:around the same time that i was riding with no hands, busting windows and getting busy behind the sportsplex (with Labonte's older sister decked out in her Speedos), Bella was flinching from the sting of a Depo Proveran "family planning" her own Pearl Harbour and a holocaust spanning 25 years to the rest of her life.
While I engaged in risky and entertaining behavior, Bella was enduring continuous suffering, based on decisions made by people outside of her control, that would last her entire life.


A prison my country underwrote in paradise.
My country sanctioned abuse and oppression of people in remote locations.


And in the shadows of Santa Cruz she crossed her fingers behind her back, Built Suharto a trohan horse and lay still til the motherfucker sent her north where as night fell she emerged with a box under her arm that held her pledge of allegiance and her uniform.
Bella was forced to make a false pledge of loyalty and don a symbol of her own oppression in order to gain a slight reprieve from her suffering.


She laid it at the gates of the Generals embassy and her whisper echoed into dawn as she disappeared:
Bella defied her oppressors in a final act of bravery before disappearing, possibly permanently.


The truth will set my people free.
Only by acknowledging the reality of oppression and abuse can we hope to find a path to true freedom for those suffering under its weight.




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS

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Comments from YouTube:

@BenjiBanks98

I remember as a little kid listening to “How To Clean Everything” …. When i was in highschool my Dad and i went to the store and he played this song for me . Then after told me how Chris Hannah (the singer) played lead guitar . I was so amazed how a singer can play lead and sing all on point

@RocknRollCharger

First song I have heard by them. I've been a huge fan of these guys since!

@travisingram39

Such a great song, from a great album, from a great band! Late at night, when it's really cold out and i'm walking, i think of this song and it helps me keep going

@Gutpunch83

Solidest (yep) intro to the greatest album ever written by man.

@1imesub

My favorite Propagandhi song to date. One of their most powerful songs for sure.

@thinkingrainbows3542

Awesome band, awesome music

@JoviMenezes501

East Timorese here 🙌🏼
Thank you Propagandhi ♥

@ihatethiswebsitesdif

This is one of my favorite albums, and Potempkin City Limits is great too. The most recent album, though, I just can't dig.

@wougamer

isso é muita musica

@carlogironi1981

One of their best songs

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