Shallow Waters: a song for protecting the environment by Ta'Kaiya Blaney

Ta'Kaiya Blaney is a wonderful ten-year old singer of the Sliammon First Nations tribe who lives in Vancouver, Canada. She sang this song before the Gulf of Mexico spill to raise awareness about how we treat our oceans.

Shallow Waters 

Lyrics:

In shallow waters, I can't see 

Your clear waves lapping at my feet 

The lifeless ocean, black not blue 

I didn't help, but deep down I knew 

In shallow waters I used to see 

Dolphins playing in front of me 

Seaweed swaying, keeping time 

Tidal rhythms, laugh not cry 

Oh! Oh! ... Why do tears fall from the sky? 

Oh! Oh! ... Have we given up, please tell me why? 

Remember the salty ocean breeze? 

We used to build castles on the beach 

Splashin' around in the summer heat, 

But now it's just oil up to our knees 

Bring back the days we used to care 

When all of these troubles were not there 

A cry for help, this is my song 

If we do nothing, it will all be gone 

In shallow waters I can't see 

The wondrous life God created to be 

But tankers and pipelines keep comin' through 

I turned my head, and so did you 

Oh! Oh! ... Why do tears fall from the sky? 

Oh! Oh! ... Have we given up, please tell me why? 

Remember the salty ocean breeze? 

We used to build castles on the beach 

Splashin' around in the summer heat, 

But now it's just oil up to our knees 

Bring back the days we used to care 

When all of these troubles were not there 

A cry for help, this is my song 

If we do nothing, it will all be gone 

Come with me to the emerald sea 

Where black gold spills into my ocean dreams 

Nothing to be found, no life is around 

It's just the sound 

Of mourning in the air 

Silence everywhere 

Oh! Oh! ... Why do tears fall from the sky? 

Oh! Oh! ... Have we given up, please tell me why? 

Remember the salty ocean breeze? 

We used to build castles on the beach 

Splashin' around in the summer heat, 

But now it's just oil up to our knees 

Bring back the days we used to care 

When all of these troubles were not there 

A cry for help, this is my song 

If we do nothing, it will all be gone 

If we do nothing, it will all be gone 

In shallow waters, I can't see 

Your clear waves lapping at my feet...

Love, light and blessings that we learn from the indigenous wisdoms of the world, and to the youth of the world who show us the way!

This was shared originally on Buddhist Travellers in 2011.