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Postcolonial suicide among Inuit in Arctic Canada
1Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 603 E. Daniel Street, Champaign, IL 61822, USA. mkral@illinois.edu
Culture, Medicine and Psychiatry
|March 7, 2012
Summary
Indigenous youth suicide rates in Arctic Canada are alarmingly high. This study examines how Canadian government interventions in the 1950s-60s disrupted Inuit relationships and contributed to this crisis.
Area of Science:
- Sociology
- Public Health
- Indigenous Studies
Background:
- Indigenous youth suicide rates are a global concern, with Inuit youth in Arctic Canada experiencing exceptionally high incidence.
- Historical government interventions in the Arctic, particularly from the 1950s and 1960s, are implicated in the rise of suicide rates.
- These interventions significantly altered Inuit kinship, roles, responsibilities, and relationships, embedding suicide within these social structures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the complex factors contributing to high suicide rates among Inuit youth in Arctic Canada.
- To analyze the impact of historical Canadian government interventions on Inuit social structures and their relationship to suicide.
- To investigate the challenges and potential of integrating psychiatric and Indigenous/community-based healing practices for suicide prevention.
Main Methods:
- Qualitative analysis of historical government policies and their effects on Inuit communities.
- Examination of the socio-cultural context of suicide within Inuit kinship and relationship structures.
- Discussion of the dichotomy between mainstream psychiatric and traditional Indigenous healing approaches.
Main Results:
- Government interventions disrupted traditional Inuit social fabric, contributing to increased suicide.
- Suicide is deeply intertwined with changes in kin, roles, and romantic relationships.
- Mainstream mental health interventions are often ineffective, with traditional healing practices occurring outside formal clinics.
Conclusions:
- Effective suicide prevention for Inuit youth requires understanding and addressing the socio-cultural impacts of historical interventions.
- Control over suicide prevention strategies should reside within Indigenous communities, utilizing culturally relevant healing practices.
- A holistic approach integrating traditional knowledge with appropriate support is crucial for addressing Inuit youth suicide.
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