Help – Poem by Ashley Kilabuk-Savard

I do not need your help
My people are suffering;
Because we are ignored
I do not need your help
My people are starving;
Because we are forgotten
I do not need your help
My people are dying;
Because you cant admit
that you poisoned us
I do not need your help
My people are losing
Their culture, themselves
Because you couldn’t
Embrace our way of life
A life is a life
Precious as is
Let it live

I do not need your help
I do not want your help

I do not want your help
My people are strong
It’s in our blood
I do not want your help
My people are caring
It’s in our values
I do not want your help
My people are resilient
It’s in every bit of our being;
We are without question
I do not want your help
My people are taking back
What was once forbidden
It’s OUR identity, OUR history
OUR heritage
We will take it back
Pass it down
Let it live

I do not need your help
I do not want your help
I need your support

I need your support
To accept our differences
You expect us to accept yours
I need your support
To appreciate our people
We belong just as much
I need your support
To admit your mistakes
Identity cannot be banned
I need your help
To see that we are suffering
Because we are ignored
Forgotten
Poisoned
Lost

Strong
Caring
Resilient
Because we are Indigenous
See that we are also human beings
I need your support
To help regain our identity
Invest, protect, accept
I need your support
To help our people
Killing a culture
Can kill a person
I need your support
To help our youth feel complete
Do not steal their sense of self
I need your support
To help our land and sea
Our home is scarred
It is our reason for being
We will rise
We will prevail
We will live

Ashley Kilabuk-Savard, 21, Iqaluit NU