Annie Humphrey – “500 Years”
Twenty-five years ago today — May 9, 2000 — Annie Humphrey-Jimenez released her debut album, The Heron Smiled.
At the 1:54 mark she sings:
Louisiana to Duluth
it is buried in the white man’s truth
Humphrey was raised on the Leech Lake Indian Reservation, about 110 miles northwest of Duluth. An article in the February 2007 issue of Indian Gaming magazine notes that “500 Years” was written by Humphrey, along with her mother Anne Dunn and songwriting partner Carson Gardner.
The chorus speaks of “500 years of genocide” and the verses recite a litany of American Indian touchstones — names, places, phrases that recall both injustices and heroic endeavors. “Maybe the words will inspire some people to pay more attention to our past,” Humphrey hopes. “Awareness is so important in fighting prejudice. At the end of the song I sing about the red oak, the one tree that holds its leaves all winter. Like the red oak leaves, we will always be here.”
Leave a Comment
Only registered members can post a comment , Login / Register Here
No Comments