Orosi - Bambu

Up early like a slave in the summer

Sophomore in high school living with his mama

In Orosi a city 40 miles south of Fresno

Middle of some farm land but very much a ghetto

Not quite North yet, not quite South

Money tight in Orosi so they shooting it out

Southern gangs fighting Northern gangs middle of Orosi

Same people fighting same people in Orosi

Filipino farmers tend to farm with their brothers

Mexican and Central Americans in a huddle

Picking vegetables and fruits

Watering the roots while the babies killing each other over drugs and loots

And between time find a summer job on a farm

Miles hunched over, think McDonald’s is hard?

Up early like a slave, on his knees at 14

In the same tradition as his whole family in the middle of Orosi

Central California, hands buried in mud

Peace in Orosi, send the farmers my love

Screaming Peace in Visalia

Peace out in Fresno

Peace out in Bakersfield

Peace in Modesto

Peace out in Corcoran

Peace near Wasco

All of my manos out in the fields of Delano

Peace to Central Cali, peace to Central Cali

Peace to Central Cali, Central Cali

Before the farm workers united, the people united

The grape strikes for the Mexican farmers just seemed right

So they joined the Filipinos and a bond was born

When manong Philip Vera Cruz and uncle Larry Itliong

Took on the task needed to get the farmers even

Watching brown hands digging 'til their fingers bleeding

So they marched in march of '66 in Delano

One foot in front of the other until Sacramento

Just to get the wages they deserve

The treatment they deserve, the people get served

So whenever my family at the table

We put a coin down and thanks those who made it able

For my son to eat food, my girl to eat too

We always give praises to where praises is due

The farm workers over Jesus that sacrifice direct

Cuz that sacrifice is in every bite I ingest

For Orosi…

To all my brothers and sisters

My manos and manas workin the fields

This our history right here, California

All the youth that had the opportunity to build with from Orosi

I thank ya’ll for the experience, man

I hope uhh, I hope this little bit I do can put a spotlight on what ya’ll go

through out in the farms

Central Cali

Yeah

Yeah

Give Thanks

Orosi, I’ll see ya’ll soon, man

Fresno, whaddup?

Modesto, whaddup?

Delano, whaddup?

Between LA to the Bay Area, man

The strike began when the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee,

mostly Filipino farm workers in Delano, California, led by Philip Vera Cruz,

Larry Itliong, Benjamin Gines and Pete Velasco, walked off the farms of area

table-grape growers, demanding wages equal to the federal minimum wage