What Are The Reasons Why Aboriginals Commit Suicide
History Essay
What accounts for the disproportionately high suicide rates among Aboriginal communities?
About 17,500 Canadians committed suicide during the years of 2007 to 2011, with 75% of these people being Aboriginal. Furthermore, 4.2% of Aboriginal death comes from suicide. Why are these numbers so high? Why are Aboriginals committing suicide? Suicide among Aboriginals is primarily a result of hopelessness and loss of identity. The past of the Aboriginals dictates to them that they have no self-worth, and this results in them committing suicide. The history of Aboriginals in residential school, reserves, and education are the causes of hopelessness and loss of identity, which causes them to commit suicide.
Loss of identity is one of the main reasons of suicide.The loss of identity can be directly connected to residential schools. The first aspect of residential schools is the attack on the Aboriginal language. Aboriginal children who were forced to attend these school were not permitted to speak in their native tongue and would be severely punished for breaking this rule. For example in some cases “Needles inserted into tongues for speaking native language”(Indian Residential Schools Education Resources, 15). This punishment caused many children to neglect their native tongue, leading to loss of identity, and therefore suicide. …show more content…
Additionally, before Aboriginal children went to these schools, they were educated by their elders. However, these schools prevented that by separating them from their traditional teaching methods. Not learning their own culture led to a sense of a lost identity, resulting in suicide.In addition, these Aboriginal children did not only lose their religion; they were forced upon a new religion. In residential schools, christianity was forced upon Aboriginal children. Obligating them to learn a different religion, lead to loss of identity which relates back to suicide. Hence, the residential school created a loss of identity for Aboriginal, which is a cause of the many suicides within this minority group.
The Canadian government took all Aboriginal people and put them in small reserves, leaving them in destitute. The living conditions in these reserves were terrible. Everything was cramped, there was little to no running water, there was improper sewage disposal and there was no electricity. “Living conditions on many Aboriginal communities and reserves are poor. Crowded dwellings are approximately 16 times more common among Aboriginal groups than Canadians in general” (Kirmayer,L, 13). These living conditions were so bad that Aboriginal people felt a sense of hopelessness making them wonder why they were living in these conditions, and leading them to eventually commit suicide. Moreover, another evidence of suicide in the Aboriginal reserve system was marginalization. Marginalization occurred as the government isolated the Aboriginals from the rest of humanity. This isolations affected the Aboriginals, making them feel different and unimportant, which led to feelings of hopelessness and suicidal thoughts because of how they felt as if no one cared for them. Likewise, Aboriginal adults who had suffered from the horrors of residential schools became alcoholics and abusive parents. Their children who were suffering could not handle their parents abusing them. This led to hopelessness in the children of the abusive parents and these children killed themselves as they did not want to turn out like their parents. Thus, the reserves created a feeling of hopelessness for the Aboriginals, leading them to commit suicide.
Education for First Nation children is a factor in high suicide rates among Aboriginals. Aboriginal parents who had went through residential schools, did not trust the school system. Since the parents had not instilled the importance of education into their children, the children felt like did not have to work hard to obtain a good education. In turn, this caused the inability to find a stable job which lead to feelings of despair and hopelessness. These feelings of hopelessness are what lead to suicide. Furthermore, there were Aboriginal children that went to school in order to become successful, but could not primarily due to the conditions of the schools. The schools were underfunded, making these children feel hopeless, as they assumed they would not achieve anything in their lives. These feelings and thoughts eventually resorted to suicide. Also, there are children who could not handle the stress of the school and their native responsibilities. Aboriginals “who had at least a high school education were almost twice as likely to die by suicide than those who had less than a high school education” (Kirmayer, L, 64). This illustrates how education is a huge factor in the high suicide rates of Aboriginals. Education has been proven to provide more stress an Aboriginals, leading to feelings of hopelessness and at last suicide. Hence, education caused Aboriginals to feel hopeless, in one way or another, leading them to commit suicide.
In conclusion, the past of the Aboriginals in residential school, reserves, and with education are the causes of hopelessness and loss of identity amongst them, leading them to commit suicide.
The residential schools truly killed the Indian within the Aboriginals, which was their primary objective after establishment.The reserves destroyed the customs of Aboriginals through its compact living conditions; and the lack of education or stress caused the Aboriginals to take atrocious actions. Furthermore, suicide rates would not be so high if the Aboriginals were not assimilated and enforced to follow the english way of
life.
Bhatia, J.
Canada: Aboriginal Youth Suicides Hit Crisis Rate · Global Voices
In-text: (Bhatia, 2010)
Bibliography: Bhatia, J. (2010). Canada: Aboriginal Youth Suicides Hit Crisis Rate · Global Voices. [online] Global Voices. Available at: http://globalvoicesonline.org/2010/01/18/canada-aboriginal-youth-suicides-hit-crisis-rate/ [Accessed 20 May. 2014].
Website
Commisso, C.
Canada faces a 'crisis ' on aboriginal reserves: UN investigator
In-text: (Commisso, 2014)
Bibliography: Commisso, C. (2014). Canada faces a 'crisis ' on aboriginal reserves: UN investigator. [online] CTVNews. Available at: http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/canada-faces-a-crisis-on-aboriginal-reserves-un-investigator-1.1497612 [Accessed 20 May. 2014].
Website
Developments, N.
Indian Residential Schools Educational Resources
In-text: (Developments, 2014)
Bibliography: Developments, N. (2014). Indian Residential Schools Educational Resources. [online] Anishinabek.ca. Available at: http://www.anishinabek.ca/irscp/irscp-about-residential.asp [Accessed 20 May. 2014].
E-book or PDF
Kirmayer, L., Brass, G., Holton, T., Paul, K., Simpson, C. and Tait, C.
Suicide Among Aboriginal People in Canada
In-text: (Kirmayer et al., 2007)
Bibliography: Kirmayer, L., Brass, G., Holton, T., Paul, K., Simpson, C. and Tait, C. (2007). Suicide Among Aboriginal People in Canada. 1st ed. [ebook] Aboriginal Healing Foundation. Available at: http://www.ahf.ca/downloads/suicide.pdf [Accessed 20 May. 2014].
Website
Mccue, H.
Reserves
In-text: (Mccue, 2014)
Bibliography: Mccue, H. (2014). Reserves. [online] The Canadian Encyclopedia. Available at: http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/aboriginal-reserves/ [Accessed 20 May. 2014].
Website
Sawchuk, J.
Social Conditions of Aboriginal People
In-text: (Sawchuk, 2014)
Bibliography: Sawchuk, J. (2014). Social Conditions of Aboriginal People. [online] The Canadian Encyclopedia. Available at: http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/native-people-social-conditions/ [Accessed 20 May. 2014].
What accounts for the disproportionately high suicide rates among Aboriginal communities?
About 17,500 Canadians committed suicide during the years of 2007 to 2011, with 75% of these people being Aboriginal. Furthermore, 4.2% of Aboriginal death comes from suicide. Why are these numbers so high? Why are Aboriginals committing suicide? Suicide among Aboriginals is primarily a result of hopelessness and loss of identity. The past of the Aboriginals dictates to them that they have no self-worth, and this results in them committing suicide. The history of Aboriginals in residential school, reserves, and education are the causes of hopelessness and loss of identity, which causes them to commit suicide.
Loss of identity is one of the main reasons of suicide.The loss of identity can be directly connected to residential schools. The first aspect of residential schools is the attack on the Aboriginal language. Aboriginal children who were forced to attend these school were not permitted to speak in their native tongue and would be severely punished for breaking this rule. For example in some cases “Needles inserted into tongues for speaking native language”(Indian Residential Schools Education Resources, 15). This punishment caused many children to neglect their native tongue, leading to loss of identity, and therefore suicide. …show more content…
Additionally, before Aboriginal children went to these schools, they were educated by their elders. However, these schools prevented that by separating them from their traditional teaching methods. Not learning their own culture led to a sense of a lost identity, resulting in suicide.In addition, these Aboriginal children did not only lose their religion; they were forced upon a new religion. In residential schools, christianity was forced upon Aboriginal children. Obligating them to learn a different religion, lead to loss of identity which relates back to suicide. Hence, the residential school created a loss of identity for Aboriginal, which is a cause of the many suicides within this minority group.
The Canadian government took all Aboriginal people and put them in small reserves, leaving them in destitute. The living conditions in these reserves were terrible. Everything was cramped, there was little to no running water, there was improper sewage disposal and there was no electricity. “Living conditions on many Aboriginal communities and reserves are poor. Crowded dwellings are approximately 16 times more common among Aboriginal groups than Canadians in general” (Kirmayer,L, 13). These living conditions were so bad that Aboriginal people felt a sense of hopelessness making them wonder why they were living in these conditions, and leading them to eventually commit suicide. Moreover, another evidence of suicide in the Aboriginal reserve system was marginalization. Marginalization occurred as the government isolated the Aboriginals from the rest of humanity. This isolations affected the Aboriginals, making them feel different and unimportant, which led to feelings of hopelessness and suicidal thoughts because of how they felt as if no one cared for them. Likewise, Aboriginal adults who had suffered from the horrors of residential schools became alcoholics and abusive parents. Their children who were suffering could not handle their parents abusing them. This led to hopelessness in the children of the abusive parents and these children killed themselves as they did not want to turn out like their parents. Thus, the reserves created a feeling of hopelessness for the Aboriginals, leading them to commit suicide.
Education for First Nation children is a factor in high suicide rates among Aboriginals. Aboriginal parents who had went through residential schools, did not trust the school system. Since the parents had not instilled the importance of education into their children, the children felt like did not have to work hard to obtain a good education. In turn, this caused the inability to find a stable job which lead to feelings of despair and hopelessness. These feelings of hopelessness are what lead to suicide. Furthermore, there were Aboriginal children that went to school in order to become successful, but could not primarily due to the conditions of the schools. The schools were underfunded, making these children feel hopeless, as they assumed they would not achieve anything in their lives. These feelings and thoughts eventually resorted to suicide. Also, there are children who could not handle the stress of the school and their native responsibilities. Aboriginals “who had at least a high school education were almost twice as likely to die by suicide than those who had less than a high school education” (Kirmayer, L, 64). This illustrates how education is a huge factor in the high suicide rates of Aboriginals. Education has been proven to provide more stress an Aboriginals, leading to feelings of hopelessness and at last suicide. Hence, education caused Aboriginals to feel hopeless, in one way or another, leading them to commit suicide.
In conclusion, the past of the Aboriginals in residential school, reserves, and with education are the causes of hopelessness and loss of identity amongst them, leading them to commit suicide.
The residential schools truly killed the Indian within the Aboriginals, which was their primary objective after establishment.The reserves destroyed the customs of Aboriginals through its compact living conditions; and the lack of education or stress caused the Aboriginals to take atrocious actions. Furthermore, suicide rates would not be so high if the Aboriginals were not assimilated and enforced to follow the english way of
life.
Bhatia, J.
Canada: Aboriginal Youth Suicides Hit Crisis Rate · Global Voices
In-text: (Bhatia, 2010)
Bibliography: Bhatia, J. (2010). Canada: Aboriginal Youth Suicides Hit Crisis Rate · Global Voices. [online] Global Voices. Available at: http://globalvoicesonline.org/2010/01/18/canada-aboriginal-youth-suicides-hit-crisis-rate/ [Accessed 20 May. 2014].
Website
Commisso, C.
Canada faces a 'crisis ' on aboriginal reserves: UN investigator
In-text: (Commisso, 2014)
Bibliography: Commisso, C. (2014). Canada faces a 'crisis ' on aboriginal reserves: UN investigator. [online] CTVNews. Available at: http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/canada-faces-a-crisis-on-aboriginal-reserves-un-investigator-1.1497612 [Accessed 20 May. 2014].
Website
Developments, N.
Indian Residential Schools Educational Resources
In-text: (Developments, 2014)
Bibliography: Developments, N. (2014). Indian Residential Schools Educational Resources. [online] Anishinabek.ca. Available at: http://www.anishinabek.ca/irscp/irscp-about-residential.asp [Accessed 20 May. 2014].
E-book or PDF
Kirmayer, L., Brass, G., Holton, T., Paul, K., Simpson, C. and Tait, C.
Suicide Among Aboriginal People in Canada
In-text: (Kirmayer et al., 2007)
Bibliography: Kirmayer, L., Brass, G., Holton, T., Paul, K., Simpson, C. and Tait, C. (2007). Suicide Among Aboriginal People in Canada. 1st ed. [ebook] Aboriginal Healing Foundation. Available at: http://www.ahf.ca/downloads/suicide.pdf [Accessed 20 May. 2014].
Website
Mccue, H.
Reserves
In-text: (Mccue, 2014)
Bibliography: Mccue, H. (2014). Reserves. [online] The Canadian Encyclopedia. Available at: http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/aboriginal-reserves/ [Accessed 20 May. 2014].
Website
Sawchuk, J.
Social Conditions of Aboriginal People
In-text: (Sawchuk, 2014)
Bibliography: Sawchuk, J. (2014). Social Conditions of Aboriginal People. [online] The Canadian Encyclopedia. Available at: http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/native-people-social-conditions/ [Accessed 20 May. 2014].