Post by Haku on Dec 19, 2003 23:27:54 GMT -5
In the summer of 1999, I went to a Canadian all girls’ summer camp for three weeks. There, we learned and practiced everything from swimming to trampoline jumping. As part of the camp, I went on a three day canoeing trip with several of my fellow cabin mates. We would canoe for several hours without stopping. The work was rigorous; I had never been sorer in my life. Signing while rowing was a hobby that gave us the determination to keep on rowing even when we were quite tired. We sang many different songs, several of which I still remember clearly to this day. My favorite was a traditional Native American canoeing song. This song spoke of the characters love for nature and love of their homeland.
**Land of the silver birch, Home of the beaver,
Where still the Mighty moose wanders at will
Chorus:
Blue lake and rocky shore, I will return once more
Boomdidiyada, Boomdidiyada
Oooo, ooo, ooo, ooo, ooooo…
**Swift as the silver fish, Canoe of birch bark
Thy mighty waterways carry me forth
Chorus
**High on a rocky ledge, I’ll build my wigwam,
Close to the waters edge, silent and still
Chorus
**My heart cries out to thee, Here in the lowlands,
I will return to thee, hills of the North
Chorus
This song was comforting to me in several ways. Several years after I attended the summer camp, I spent one year living in Toronto, Canada with my family. There, we enjoyed the passing of the seasons together. Bright orange, yellow, and red leaves feel like confetti around me in the autumn wind. The winter wind brought snow that floated to the ground like the whitest of feathers. I spent time exploring parks, creeks, and forests with my family. Today, I can relate to the bittersweet need to return to my home. Whenever I think of the amazing sights I witnessed, a strange force pulls me there. In several Native American cultures, it was a belief that everything had a spirit. Whenever I hear “Land of the Silver Birch” today, I can almost hear the sound of the water splashing against the paddles, the quiet song of the twirling leaves, and the soft sigh of the spirit of nature. A nostalgic feeling swells up within me. One day, I will return to the land where the mighty moose still wanders at will.
I know that one-day, I will return home.
**Land of the silver birch, Home of the beaver,
Where still the Mighty moose wanders at will
Chorus:
Blue lake and rocky shore, I will return once more
Boomdidiyada, Boomdidiyada
Oooo, ooo, ooo, ooo, ooooo…
**Swift as the silver fish, Canoe of birch bark
Thy mighty waterways carry me forth
Chorus
**High on a rocky ledge, I’ll build my wigwam,
Close to the waters edge, silent and still
Chorus
**My heart cries out to thee, Here in the lowlands,
I will return to thee, hills of the North
Chorus
This song was comforting to me in several ways. Several years after I attended the summer camp, I spent one year living in Toronto, Canada with my family. There, we enjoyed the passing of the seasons together. Bright orange, yellow, and red leaves feel like confetti around me in the autumn wind. The winter wind brought snow that floated to the ground like the whitest of feathers. I spent time exploring parks, creeks, and forests with my family. Today, I can relate to the bittersweet need to return to my home. Whenever I think of the amazing sights I witnessed, a strange force pulls me there. In several Native American cultures, it was a belief that everything had a spirit. Whenever I hear “Land of the Silver Birch” today, I can almost hear the sound of the water splashing against the paddles, the quiet song of the twirling leaves, and the soft sigh of the spirit of nature. A nostalgic feeling swells up within me. One day, I will return to the land where the mighty moose still wanders at will.
I know that one-day, I will return home.