Native North American Child
Sainte marie buffy Lyrics


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Who's got a head o' hair to match up with the raven?
Who's got the prairie sun in every smile?
Who's got good credit yet with ol' Mother Nature?
Who-o-o? Native North American child

Who's got the rhythm of the universe inside her?
Who taught the pilgrims how to make it in the wild?
Who sing a 49-er autumnal changes?
Who? Native North American child

Sing about your ebony African Queen
Sing about your lily-white Lily Marleen
Beauty by the bushel but the girl of the hour
Is the native North American prairie flower

Seminole, Apache, Ute, Paiute and Shoshone
Navaho, Comanche, Hopi, Eskimo, Cree
Tuskarora, Yaqui, Pima, Porca, Oneida
O-o-h, native North American me

Sing about your ebony African Queen
Sing about your lily-white Lily Marleen
Beauty by the bushel but the girl of the hour
Is the native North American prairie flower

Cherokee, Muskogee, Fox and Passamaquoddy
Winnebago, Haida, Mohawk, Saulteaux and Souix
Chicksaw, Ojibwe, Cheyenne, Micmac and Mandan
O-o-h, native North American you





Yeah, yeah, baby, North American child

Overall Meaning

The song "Native North American Child" by Buffy Sainte-Marie is a celebration of the beauty and strength of Native American culture. The lyrics emphasize the unique qualities of Native American women, with references to their physical features, cultural traditions, and resilience in the face of colonialism. The opening lines ask, "Who's got a head o' hair to match up with the raven? Who's got the prairie sun in every smile?" This highlights the physical beauty of Native American women, with their long, dark hair and radiant smiles. The next line refers to their connection to nature, with the phrase "Who's got good credit yet with ol' Mother Nature?" implying that they are the protectors of the earth.


Line by Line Meaning

Who's got a head o' hair to match up with the raven?
Who among us has hair as dark as the raven bird?


Who's got the prairie sun in every smile?
Who has a warm and welcoming smile, like the sun on the prairies?


Who's got good credit yet with ol' Mother Nature?
Who can be trusted and respected by Mother Nature?


Who-o-o? Native North American child
Who else but a Native North American child can possess such qualities and attributes?


Who's got the rhythm of the universe inside her?
Who amongst us is in tune with the natural rhythms of the universe?


Who taught the pilgrims how to make it in the wild?
Who showed the early settlers how to survive in the wilderness?


Who sing a 49-er autumnal changes?
Who sings of the seasonal changes in the 49th parallel?


Who? Native North American child
Once again, who else but a Native North American child?


Sing about your ebony African Queen
Let's celebrate the beauty of African women with dark skin


Sing about your lily-white Lily Marleen
Let's also recognize the beauty of women with fair skin


Beauty by the bushel but the girl of the hour
There is beauty all around us, but right now let's focus on Native North American women


Is the native North American prairie flower
Native North American women are like the wildflowers of the prairies - beautiful and resilient


Seminole, Apache, Ute, Paiute and Shoshone
Let's mention some of the different tribes of Native North Americans


Navaho, Comanche, Hopi, Eskimo, Cree
These are even more tribes, each with its own unique culture


Tuskarora, Yaqui, Pima, Porca, Oneida
And even more tribes, all with their own stories and traditions


O-o-h, native North American me
And don't forget that I - the singer - am also a Native North American


Cherokee, Muskogee, Fox and Passamaquoddy
More tribes to recognize and honor


Winnebago, Haida, Mohawk, Saulteaux and Souix
These tribes also deserve recognition


Chicksaw, Ojibwe, Cheyenne, Micmac and Mandan
Finally, let's acknowledge these tribes as well


O-o-h, native North American you
And let's not forget about all of you - the Native North Americans listening to this song


Yeah, yeah, baby, North American child
In the end, the singer just wants to celebrate the beauty and resilience of Native North American children




Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BUFFY SAINTE MARIE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@user-js6el7vn2r

Who's got a head o' hair to match up with the raven?
Who's got the prairie sun in every smile?
Who's got good credit yet with ol' Mother Nature?
Who-o-o? Native North American child

Who's got the rhythm of the uni inside her?
Who taught the pilgrims how to make it in the wild?
Who sing a 49-er autumnal changes?
Who? Native North American child

Sing about your ebony African Queen
Sing about your lily-white Lily Marleen
Beauty by the bushel but the girl of the hour
Is the native North American prairie flower

Seminole, Apache, Ute, Paiute and Shoshone
Navaho, Comanche, Hopi, Eskimo, Cree
Tuskarora, Yaqui, Pima, Porca, Oneida
O-o-h, native North American me

Sing about your ebony African Queen
Sing about your lily-white Lily Marleen
Beauty by the bushel but the girl of the hour
Is the native North American prairie flower

Cherokee, Muskogee, Fox and Passamaquoddy
Winnebago, Haida, Mohawk, Saulteaux and Souix
Chicksaw, Ojibwe, Cheyenne, Micmac and Mandan
O-o-h, native North American you

Yeah, yeah, baby, North American child



All comments from YouTube:

@kendra9002

I remember listening to this for the first time and how happy I was when she mentioned Ojibwe. Everyone always forgets us lol

@workenesch

havent heard it for many years...still know all the words by heart!

@rickormin5649

Awesome song!!!!! Native Pride!!!!!

@adreabrooks11

The fact that Buffy uses the word "eskimo" is an interesting reminder about how far ALL our cultural awareness has come. Let's keep that ball rolling!

@jamesmorrison2055

Or a reminder just how sensitive and silly society has become, depending on how you look at it.

@adreabrooks11

@@jamesmorrison2055 Valid point!

@dala4076

@@jamesmorrison2055 not to rain on your parade but the term "eskimo" being used back in the 70s by buffy sainte marie, a native woman, is not the same as (non-native) people being told not to use it now. some people (like myself and certain members of my family) don't like to be referred to as eskimo. some people don't mind at all. it also matters who says it & when and in which context it's said. it's disingenuous to boil something like this down to "society has grown so sensitive and silly"

@grimala

@@jamesmorrison2055I’m an Inuit a**hole. Eskimo was created as a term by the French to call us raw meat eaters as a slur to imply that we’re savage and uncivilized and basically animals. Actually learn why something is problematic before calling us sensitive and SILLY now 😡

@jamesmorrison2055

@@dala4076 If you say so. Considering "Eskimo" is likely derived from an actual indigenous word (ayaskimew), it's ironic that many consider it derogatory simply because the term became common among Europeans when referring to indigenous tribes of that region. But hey, pick your battles I suppose.

1 More Replies...

@user-js6el7vn2r

Who's got a head o' hair to match up with the raven?
Who's got the prairie sun in every smile?
Who's got good credit yet with ol' Mother Nature?
Who-o-o? Native North American child

Who's got the rhythm of the uni inside her?
Who taught the pilgrims how to make it in the wild?
Who sing a 49-er autumnal changes?
Who? Native North American child

Sing about your ebony African Queen
Sing about your lily-white Lily Marleen
Beauty by the bushel but the girl of the hour
Is the native North American prairie flower

Seminole, Apache, Ute, Paiute and Shoshone
Navaho, Comanche, Hopi, Eskimo, Cree
Tuskarora, Yaqui, Pima, Porca, Oneida
O-o-h, native North American me

Sing about your ebony African Queen
Sing about your lily-white Lily Marleen
Beauty by the bushel but the girl of the hour
Is the native North American prairie flower

Cherokee, Muskogee, Fox and Passamaquoddy
Winnebago, Haida, Mohawk, Saulteaux and Souix
Chicksaw, Ojibwe, Cheyenne, Micmac and Mandan
O-o-h, native North American you

Yeah, yeah, baby, North American child

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