the code of handsome lake

these are the people of the longhouse

these are the people that you tried to break

these are the people of the pines

who follow the code of handsome lake

he drank your poison

swallowed your fire

and lay with fever four long years

he received a vision so inspired

three messengers with painted faces appeared

on the allegheny river at a place called burnt house

the code was shared for the very first time

by a seneca chief

they call handsome lake

with a wounded heart and a sober mind

these are the people of the longhouse

these are the people that you tried to break

these are the people of the pines

who follow the code of handsome lake

we are the people of the longhouse

we are the people that you couldn't break

we are the people of the sacred pipe

who follow the code of handsome lake

when the dark moon had come to live in your soul

get in touch with your creator

you are not alone

these are words that he had spoken

two hundred years ago

and today they still ring true

like they're carved in stone

when native life was hurled into the pit

by way of the canon

rum

and greed

oh a great fire was burned

to let the smoke rise

and show the six nations the code was still alive

way down deep in the bush

o way oh hi ne

ah hey yo ah way oh hey a way

these are the people of the longhouse

these are the people that you tried to break

these are the people of the pines

who follow the code of handsome lake

we are the people of the longhouse

we are the people that you couldn't break

we are the people of the sacred pipe

who follow the code of handsome lake

these are the people of the longhouse

these are the people that you tried to break

these are the people of the pines

who follow the code of handsome lake

we are the people of the longhouse

we are the people that you couldn't break

we are the people of the sacred pipe

who follow the code of handsome lake