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"What Made the Red Man Red?" is a song from Disney's Peter Pan. It is sung by the Indian Chief and the Indian chorus.

Lyrics[]

Why does he ask you, "How?"
Why does he ask you, "How?"
Once the Injun didn't know
All the things that he know now
But the Injun, he sure learn a lot
And it's all from asking, "How?"

Hana Mana Ganda
Hana Mana Ganda

We translate for you
Hana means what mana means
And ganda means that, too

When did he first say, "Ugh!"
When did he first say, "Ugh!"
In the Injun book it say
When first brave married squaw
He gave out with heap big ugh
When he saw his Mother-in-Law

What made the red man red?
What made the red man red?

Let's go back a million years
To the very first Injun prince
He kissed a maid and start to blush
And we've all been blushin' since

You've got it right from the headman
The real true story of the red man
No matter what's been written or said
Now you know why the red man's red!

Indian Chief: Hana Mana Ganda!
Hana Mana Ganda!
Hana Mana Ganda!
Hana Mana Ganda!
What makes the brave man brave?
Hana Mana Ganda!
Hana Mana Ganda!
What makes the brave man brave?
Hana Mana Ganda!
Hana Mana Ganda!

Native folks get plenty scared
Just as other people do
But we found quicker than running away
Is simply just run through
Hana Mana Ganda!
Hana Mana Ganda!
Hana Mana Ganda!
Hana Mana Ganda!
Why do the brave man dance?
Hana Mana Ganda!
Hana Mana Ganda!
Sing to the stars and dance?
Hana Mana Ganda!
Hana Mana Ganda!

Native people learned that when you
Tell stars what to do
They’ll accomplish any task
As long as it’s through you
Hana Mana Ganda!
Hana Mana Ganda!
Hana Mana Ganda!
Hana Mana Ganda!
We’ll translate for you:
Hana means “our tribe”
Mana means “best”
Gana means “other tribes too”
Hana Mana Ganda!
Hana Mana Ganda!
That makes the brave ones brave
That makes the brave ones brave!

Tiger Lily (spoken): Hale nayat. *I* know you helped me.

Wendy Darling (spoken): Why do boys take the credit for everything?

Tiger Lily: There are
some boys like that, true
All too proud of what they do
Taking credit wherever they can
But if glory they don’t share
Don’t be silent, and stare
Tell them quick, tell them true
Of the noble things in you

Not just boys are fighters
Not just boys are strong
Got to keep inside your heart
This ancient native song
No one can make you feel small
Unless you agree to feel small

What makes the brave girl brave?
What makes the brave girl brave?
Native girls know many boys
Have pride so big it burst!
Just remind him what he did
A girl no doubt did first!

Indian Tribe: Hana Mana Ganda!
Hana Mana Ganda!
Words we sing with pride
Hana means “strength”
Mana means “truth”
The rest you can decide

Now you got it right from the Chief here
Each secret sacred belief here
The honor with which natives behave!
Strength and truth keep the
Brave ones brave!
Hana Mana Ganda!

Trivia[]

  • This song has garnered controversy due to its depiction of Native American stereotypes, including the use of racist and derogatory terms towards Indigenous people such as "Injun", “red man”, and the suggestive term for Indigenous women "squaw".
    • As historians pointed out, like every creature native of Neverland, the Indians are not real Native Americans from the real world and they, along with these stereotypes, are attuned to the imagination of Edwardian-era British children and "It is to be remembered that Peter Pan was supposed to represent a young boy's impression of pirates, mermaids and Indians and, as a result, these fanciful creations bore more of a relation to popular culture storybooks than reality."[1]
    • In Disney's Peter Pan, Jr. stage musical adaptation, the song was replaced by "What Makes the Brave Man Brave?".
      • The bridge of this version is the only song that Tiger Lily sings in any Disney production.
      • "What Makes the Brave Man Brave?" is about the courage and honor of a true hero.
      • "What Makes the Brave Girl Brave?" is about women being just as capable and courageous as men.
  • On the read-along cassette version of Peter Pan, this song was omitted, as well as limiting content to the Native Americans or Indians.

Videos[]

References[]

  1. Korkis, Jim (May 15, 2020). "Neverland Tribe". Cartoon Research.

External links[]

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See Also
Disney Sing Along Songs: You Can Fly!FairiesDisney FairiesJake and the Never Land Pirates
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