Buffalo Soldiers

Buffalo Soldiers
Then and Now

Being right-brained has advantages and also disadvantages for me. One of the disadvantages is that I get distracted easily from the task in front of me, like writing. The upside is that I discover things on the Internet that interest me easily. For example, I found a video entitled Buffalo Soldier produced in Myanmar. However, the title was confusing.

I knew how the U.S. military blended two cavalries and two infantry regiments together of black soldiers during and after the Civil War. It was after that war they got the nickname of Buffalo Soldiers. They were stationed on the Western frontier protecting settlers from Native Americans, building roads, repairing and building forts, and escorting stagecoaches and mail delivery.

Buffalo Soldiers

Therefore, Native Americans saw the similarities between the black soldiers’ hair, which reminded them of the pelts of the buffalo. Actually, the animals weren’t buffalos; they were bison.

Their military patch

When I discovered the video of Buffalo Soldier, it was obvious that a creative person in Myanmar knew about Bob Marley’s song, Buffalo Soldier.

Buffalo Soldier, dreadlock Rasta
There was a Buffalo Soldier
In the heart of America
Stolen from Africa, brought to America
Fighting on arrival, fighting for survival

I mean it, when I analyze the stench
To me, it makes a lot of sense
How the dreadlock Rasta was the Buffalo Soldier
And he was taken from Africa, brought to America
Fighting on arrival, fighting for survival

Said he was a Buffalo Soldier, dreadlock Rasta
Buffalo Soldier, in the heart of America
If you know your history
Then you would know where you coming from
Then you wouldn’t have to ask me
Who the heck do I think I am

I’m just a Buffalo Soldier
In the heart of America
Stolen from Africa, brought to America
Said he was fighting on arrival
Fighting for survival
Said he was a Buffalo Soldier
Win the war for America

Said he, woe yoy yoy, woe yoy yoy yoy
Woe yoy yoy yo, yoy yoy yoy yo

Woe yoy yoy, woe yoy yoy yoy
Woe yoy yoy yo, yoy yoy yoy yo

Buffalo Soldier, troddin’ through the land woah
Said he wanna ran, then you wanna hand
Troddin’ through the land, yeah, yeah

Said he was a Buffalo Soldier
Win the war for America
Buffalo Soldier, dreadlock Rasta
Fighting on arrival, fighting for survival
Driven from the mainland
To the heart of the Caribbean

Singing, woe yoy yoy, woe yoy yoy yoy
Woe yoy yoy yo, yoy yoy yoy yo

Woe yoy yoy, woe yoy yoy yoy
Woe yoy yoy yo, yoy yoy yoy yo

Troddin’ through San Juan
In the arms of America
Troddin’ through Jamaica, a Buffalo Soldier
Fighting on arrival, fighting for survival
Buffalo Soldier, dreadlock Rasta

Woe yoy yoy, woe yoy yoy yoy
Woe yoy yoy yo, yoy yoy yoy yo

Woe yoy yoy, woe yoy yoy yoy
Woe yoy yoy yo, yoy yoy yoy yo

Marley tied the history of the Buffalo Soldiers to blacks’ efforts to fight for civil rights and their resistance to white racism in America. A half-century later, the people of Myanmar are standing up for their civil rights and their resistance to the military’s coup.