Lyrics

Hacienda Luisita

When you assumed your jurisdiction
The whole world came knocking on our heads
We’ve seen this before, on the bridge at Mendiola
To the lords up on high, poor’s the same as dead
Looking out from blood-bathed eyes
At his body swinging from the gate
I thought where’s our law, our soldiers, our justice?
I’m only left with my conscience and my hate
And the vile choice to die hungry or die fighting

Hacienda Luisita
All I’ve ever known
Hacienda Luisita
This hell that I call home
Whoah-oh-oh though clutched like gold by Solomon
I know, I know this land is ours in common and we shall be free

You tore our roots from the soil
And we had nowhere left to go
We only wanted what you promised
Well over 40 years ago
We didn’t need another reason
To stand up and spit in your face
The line was drawn in blood by you
And we were imprisoned for life in your imperial grace
With the vile choice to die hungry or die fighting

Hacienda Luisita
All I’ve ever known
Hacienda Luisita
This hell that I call home
Whoah-oh-oh but like the wind in the sugarcane
I know, I know we are one with this land and we shall be free

One truth we know now is that there is no government for us.
No matter their noble constitutions and words, the rich, backed by bloodsucking liches and leviathans, pull the switches,
and will leave us to rot, invisible to humanity.

Hacienda Luisita
All I’ve ever known
Hacienda Luisita
This hell that I call home
Hacienda Luisita
Though pushed beyond your view
Hacienda Luisita
I will return to you

“They can tear our bodies apart with bullets, but they will never be able to massacre the resolve of a people united.”
- ULWU President Rene Galang

The land was supposed to have been distributed to the workers well over 40 years ago. It was supposed to belong to the people. The constitution was supposed to have guaranteed that. The government was supposed to abide by the constitution. The archaic conquistador system of land ownership was supposed to have died with Spanish imperialism.

None of this has happened yet, and the so-called liberal and revolutionary governments have done little in the way of their promises, with the giant hacienda owners hobnobbing and schmoozing with the presidents in palaces and mansions, while their workers grow ever poorer and more desperate. One little ‘adjustment’ to the constitution here and there and eventually all that is left is a big joke. “Would you like a share of the company little peasant? There you go. Now run along and behave yourself while you watch your family starve…”

What happens when the land-workers decide that they should hold the land-owners and government to their obligations? Well, the assumption of jurisdiction happens and the army marches in to make sure that nothing really changes in the system. Well, something did change. People who had lost their hope realized that they really did matter. The struggle continues…

This song is dedicated to Yoichiro, a great fan who helped inform us of a number of the struggles in the Philippines, and to all of the workers of the Hacienda Luisita and their families.

(Mark Vermin and Meg Spinx)

Tagalog translation courtesy of Darwin - Verbal Offense

Hacienda Luisita

Ng pinalagay mo ang iyong lugar
Ang buong mundo ay kumatok sa aming pagiisip
nasaksihan na namin ito,tulad sa tulay ng Mendiola.
Sa mga panginoon na nasa taas,
ang mahihirap ay katulad ng isang patay
tumitingin sa uhaw na dugo na mga mata. Ang kanyang
katawan ay nakahandusay.
Ami’y naisip,nasaan ang batas,ang aming kawal,ang
aming hustisya.

HACIENDA LUISITA
ANG TANGING AMING NALALAMAN
HACIENDA LUISITA
ANG IMPIERNONG NA AMING TINUTURING TAHANAN
WHOAH-OH-OH KAHIT NABABALOT NG GINTO NI SOLOMON
ALAM KO, BATID KO NA ITONG LUPA AY AMIN AT KAMI AY
LALAYA.

Linagot mo ang aming ugat sa aming lupa at walang
puwang na mapuntahan.
Ang hangad lang namin ay ang iyong ipinangako,apat na
pung taon na ang lumipas.
Hindi na namin kailangan ng iba pang dahilan.
para tumayo at duraan ang inyong mga mukha.
Ang ginuhit ninyo mula sa dugo at kami’y napiit ng
buong buhay.
Dahil sa inyong basbas na ang aming masalimuot na pili
ay mamatay sa gutom o’ mamatay na lumalaban.

HACIENDA LUISITA
ANG TANGI NA AMING NALALAMAN
HACIENDA LUISITA
ANG IMPYERNO NA TINATAWAG KONG TAHANAN.
WHOAH-OHOH PERO TULAD NG HANGIN SA TUBUHAN
ALAM KO,AT BATID KO NA KAMI AT ITONG LUPA AY IISA AT
KAMI’Y LALAYA.

Isang katotohanan na aming alam na ang gobyernong
ito ay hindi para sa atin.
Kahit ano pang kostitusyon at salita.
Ang mayayaman ay ang inaayunan ng mga sumisipsip ng
dugo na lintaat nanguna at iniwan kaming nabubulok,di
makita sa sangkatauhan. Hindi!!

HACIENDA LUISITA
ANG TANGI NA AMING ALAM
HACIENDA LUISITA
ITO’Y IMPYERNO NA AMING TINURING TAHANAN.
HACIENDA LUISITA
KAHIT PINAGTULAKAN KAMI NG INYONG PAGIISIP
HACIENDA LUISITA
KAMI’Y BABALIK SA IYO.

« Back to discography