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For The Murdered And The Missing

from Constitution by The Afro-Métis Nation

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about

Troubling and urgent questions about murdered and missing Aboriginal women.

lyrics

FOR THE MURDERED AND THE MISSING
By George Elliott Clarke

Someone’s guilty of a million crimes! Blood on his hands, Death on his mind! To send my sister away, away;
To put my mama in a distant grave.
Why she gotta be murdered? Why she gotta go missing? This land is hers, so I heard! All the saints are insisting!
Someone’s gotta sink in Hell and rot! Dumped bones in bush or parking lot. Disappeared my auntie, saw her die; Exiled my daughter, served her Misery!
Why she gotta be missing? Why she gotta be murdered? Why I hear Justice hissing Like a viper in a graveyard?
Someone’s papa mapped a Trail of Tears! Someone’s son paved a Highway of Tears! Why my sister gotta stumble down?
Why my mama gotta humble down?
Why she gotta go missing? Why she gotta be martyred? Indigenous insisting, “Justice for our massacred!” “Justice for our massacred!”
Someone’s flag looks like blood on snow! Someone’s History’s a damn crime show! To hurt my daughter so she weep;
To wound my auntie while she sleep.
Why she gotta be murdered? Why she gotta go missing? Martyred in mud, slush, merde — From The Pas to Nipissing.
Why she gotta be murdered? Why she gotta go missing? Martyred in mud, slush, merde — From The Pas to Nipissing.
Someone’s guilty of a million crimes— From five centuries back, down to next time! Ain’t sorry to lil sister rape —
Or put my mama in her too-soon grave!
Why she gotta be murdered? Why she gotta go missing? Ain’t all government alert To crimes of commission?
Why don’t Parliament just wail?
How can this Parliament fail?
Gotta have Justice insisting,
“No more murdered, no more missing!
“No more homicide, suicide, genocide — No screaming words that none can hide! No more Trails and Highways of Tears!
No more families cramming each a hearse!
“Time to put the guilty where they belong — On trial, in jail, by the end of this song!”
Why she gotta be missing? Why she gotta be murdered? Why I hear Justice hissing Like a viper in a graveyard?
Why she gotta go missing? Why she gotta be murdered? Indigenous insisting
Justice for our massacred
Justice, justice, justice, justice Justice for our massacred
Justice, justice, justice, justice Justice for our massacred
Why she gotta go missing? Why she gotta be murdered?

credits

from Constitution, released April 25, 2019
George Elliott Clarke - Lead vocals/spoken word
Shelley Hamilton - Lead vocals, Backing vocals
John Somosi - Native drum

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The Afro-Métis Nation Ontario

George Elliott Clarke, O.C., has served as Poet Laureate of Parliament and Poet Laureate of Toronto. Shelley Hamilton is a two-time winner of the ANSMA 'Artist of the Year' Award. Russ Kelley and Chris White are performing songwriters and recording artists. 'Sugar Plum' Croxen has performed and toured since his teens. These artists honour their Black and Indigenous ancestors though this work. ... more

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