"wampum prayer" and the Massacre of the Apaches
wampum prayer may only be forty-four seconds in length, but it is no doubt one of the stand out tracks on the album. Without any accompaniment, Amos sings of Scarlets visit to a site in which many Apache people were massacred.
At first, the Apache people were incredibly successful in resisting white settlement on the land they called home. Apaches would swoop down on isolated farms and small settlements killing all (Battle with the Apache, 1872). This was the only way in which they could protect themselves from whites.
As to be expected, whites retaliated against these raids. However, instead of going after the Apaches that killed white settlers, whites attacked peaceful Apache settlements. Consequently, they massacred many innocent women and children. These raids on innocent Apaches were led by General George Crook, who later was ordered to end the Apache raids and bring peace to the region (Battle with the Apache, 1872).
The attacks on the Apaches only ended when the hostile elements of the Apache (Battle with the Apache, 1872) were forced to surrender, in the spring of 1873. Once they did so, surviving Apache were forced onto Reservations.
In wampum prayer, Amos sings, Greed is the gift for the sons of sons (Amos). Greed has taken over. It was behind the entire colonization of America. The settlers wanted more, and more, and more. They only thought of themselves, never thinking of the damage being done to any people, or land they so greedily massacred for.
Amos does not need any accompaniment to convey the emotions running through this song. Her vocal range speaks loudly to the listener. It gives the song a feel of a descendent of the Apaches, sitting in front of a fire, singing of the spirits of the massacre that fills the air around her.
At first, the Apache people were incredibly successful in resisting white settlement on the land they called home. Apaches would swoop down on isolated farms and small settlements killing all (Battle with the Apache, 1872). This was the only way in which they could protect themselves from whites.
As to be expected, whites retaliated against these raids. However, instead of going after the Apaches that killed white settlers, whites attacked peaceful Apache settlements. Consequently, they massacred many innocent women and children. These raids on innocent Apaches were led by General George Crook, who later was ordered to end the Apache raids and bring peace to the region (Battle with the Apache, 1872).
The attacks on the Apaches only ended when the hostile elements of the Apache (Battle with the Apache, 1872) were forced to surrender, in the spring of 1873. Once they did so, surviving Apache were forced onto Reservations.
In wampum prayer, Amos sings, Greed is the gift for the sons of sons (Amos). Greed has taken over. It was behind the entire colonization of America. The settlers wanted more, and more, and more. They only thought of themselves, never thinking of the damage being done to any people, or land they so greedily massacred for.
Amos does not need any accompaniment to convey the emotions running through this song. Her vocal range speaks loudly to the listener. It gives the song a feel of a descendent of the Apaches, sitting in front of a fire, singing of the spirits of the massacre that fills the air around her.
