Mandala of the Rising Thunderbird

Mandala of the Rising Thunderbird
(Mandala of the First Nations)

2011

Metallic Gel Pen on Illustration Board


Peace

We the people
Of this once nameless ancient land
We who lived in this earth
That we did not own
But called home

And now we stay
In plots we own
Yet caged like birds

In this land now named
After an ancient map maker

1. Acknowledge

We are of many nations
Heart beating to a freedom
Long gone

And we await
The coming of the Rainbow Warrior
Foretold by the bearing
Of the white grazer

2. Release

The days of plenty are gone
We will never ride like the wind

We will soon soar in the winds

The days of waiting
Have soiled our souls

We will awaken in the new sun

The nations union
Is our hope

We are ONE

3. Awaken

Rise brothers and sisters
To the beating of the drums

Listen to the booming
Of the Thunderbird

We walk the great plains
We trek the deep forests
We cross the vast oceans
We blaze the frozen lands
We march proudly through the desert

And we come to the plentiful land

It is a good day

We are ONE

4. Return

We are the Rainbow Nation

We sing the songs of the earth
We sing chant the rhythms of the winds

We are free