Is Suicide a Reflection of Settler Colonialism?

• In Event: 72.052 - Indigenous Students Navigating Identity, Motivation, and Epistemology in Education: A Fireside Chat

Abstract

Suicide is a tragic public health concern. Other populations have experienced historical trauma, oppression, and forced assimilation, yet the question remains: Why do Indigenous populations in Canada experience suicide rates that are higher than any other culturally identifiable population? Understanding the unique cultural, historical, and ontological context of Indigenous peoples may help us understand this unfortunate trend. Utilizing settler colonialism as a theoretical framework, this paper will examine the incidences of indigenous erasure experienced by community members of a First Nations community on Vancouver Island. Further, understanding temporal dimensions in relation to identity and responsibility can help us comprehend how settler colonialism is related to the increase in suicide amongst this community of First Nation peoples.

Author

• Emma Elliott, University of Washington - Seattle