These expansions come at the expense of native inhabitants. Through immersion, expansion, and death the livelihood of their culture was attacked. The once isolated and sustainable community now suffered at the hands of vindictive and greedy foreigners. Similar to this cry for help and attention from the Loika, there is an undertaking by the offspring of the indigenous communities which seeks justice and retribution.
May Yang’s “Make Me Human or Give Me Death” is appropriately named as she talks of a blanket of silence that developed countries impose on minorities. Supported by ignorance and reluctance, Yang expresses that this blanket creates a divide between communities. As they are underrepresented and have no voice in their communities, the activism regarding minorities is often overlooked or yields slow progress. As part of her message, Yang writes of the actions she and individuals like her would take as a form of redemption.
“and this flame which burned my grandfather’s house down / and this light which shackled my grandmother’s body down / and this heat which scorched my father’s spirit down / will look onto you and take you like it took me