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Teen suicide a fact of life on Native American reservations

Published: 17 March, 2010, 23:24
Edited: 09 April, 2010, 22:59

(29.7Mb) embed video

TAGS: Health, Psychology, USA, Economy


Pine Ridge is one of the poorest Indian reservations in the United States. An 80 percent unemployment rate and little hope for the future has translated into a growing number of teen suicides.

 On the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, alcoholism, unemployment and inadequate housing only a few of the problems facing young people coming of age in the community. One of the results of the desperate situation is an increasing rate of teen suicide.

The suicides contribute to the impenetrable sadness that looms over the reservation. Depression is even discussed on the local radio station.

On the morning of December 3, Victor Kills Enemy woke up, walked over to his uncle’s trailer and found his 16-year-old brother Joshua hanging from the ceiling by a long-sleeved shirt.

“He was already gone,” said Victor. “He was gone. We couldn’t do nothing.”

This feeling of helplessness is compounded by questions about why a young man who did well in school and played on the basketball team would take his own life.

“We loved him and we know he loved us. There was no reason why to do it but de did what he did,” said Colette Two Bulls, Joshua and Victor’s mother.

On Pine Ridge, teens wear their pain not only on their faces, but also on their bodies – the marks from where they have tried and failed to kill themselves. Kelsey Richards says just about everyone she knows has thought about suicide at least once. Many of her friends have tried and some have succeeded.

“The first time I tried, I was 14. It was because I lost my first friend to suicide,” said Kelsey. “Just this past year, me and my sisters lost three people to suicide.”

Most teenagers on Pine Ridge have similar stories.

"Kids like are depressed about how they live and stuff," said Alliey Janis

"I think it is just because of the poverty. The sadness, despair hopelessness of the reservation,” added Samantha Janis

Nearly 80 percent of the people on the reservation are unemployed and most live in run-down trailers. Very few are able to look ahead to the future.

Eileen Janis helps run the Sweetgrass Program, a suicide prevention group that targets troubled teens. In 2008, seven young people between the ages of 15 and 24 succeeded in committing suicide, but there were 420 suicide attempts. Every day, more than one young person saw no reason to live.

“They committed suicide because they thought, this is my life, this is where I’m going to end up, that’s all we have,” said Janis. “A lot of the stories we hear from young people are so sad it breaks our hearts and we really try to give them hope." 

But hope is hard to come by. On Pine Ridge, suicide is the second leading cause of death – only drunk driving accidents kill more people.

Joshua’s family says he was drunk when he called his mother just hours before hanging himself, leaving a trail of tears and broken hearts.

“He should still be here with me, that’s all I think. He should still be here, but he’s not,” said Victor.

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DonDekker April 09, 2010, 17:28
+1

Suicide is so repulsive and even pales compared to an auto accident scene. These suicides don't happen by accident. Their roots go back 500 years when Native Americans were uprooted from their social system and displaced. The Lakota were displaced from their original homelands further east from their present location. Ironically, up on the stone cliffs near Lakota lands are 4 faces of well-known U.S. Presidents who were oblivious to the matters concerning history as it was unfolding. Not much has changed to this day because these Native Americans are not part of the mainstream America's economy. They are far from it. How to solve this suicide problem: Continue with the on-going programs in these communities, involve elders, raise the standard of living by establishing enterprise zones to attract foreign companies to come to Indian lands to establish manufacturing plants which in turn, will create and foster a higher standard of living, focus on educational strategies that will enhance the self-esteem of Native American youths and provide training to Native American leaders in their respective communities so that they have a better comprehension of how to address social issues that contribute to the demise of their own people.

Auddy Roach April 08, 2010, 22:55
+1

The pain of losing someone to suicide is SO unbearable no one should have to deal with it. In 2002, my 14 year old cousin killed himself on the reservation. In 2009 I lost my uncle and a friend in a months timing to suicide. He shot himself and she hung herself. I was devistated cause it seemed like a nightmare I couldn't wake up from. And where I live, we have kids dying and the age gets younger and younger.....These teachers and principals and whatever say they care about these kids and the thing with the school system is "no child left behind". If that is, they should be doing something to help these kids.....They should be worried...We have kids getting bullied, beat up, pressured, and all that other stuff and it's like the people to are responsible for it just get a slap on the hand. Our schools need to do something to help those who have lost people to suicide so it doesn't continue. They need to have suicide prevention stuff or something because it's getting sad knowing that somone is gonna die. Someone has to speak up and ask for help for these kids....I don't like seeing so many people, kids especially, hurting and I can say it like I said, from experience. Drunk or not drunk, you are fully aware of what is going on around you. You can't just use the excuse, "oh I was drunk" cause it doesn't work. It's time to step up and help our kids instead of just coming to school and doing your job and leaving. Kids attempting suicide is a cry for help! Will you make a difference is someones life before they end it??

WalksNBeauty March 31, 2010, 07:42
+1

Colonization through the process of dehumanization! First, it was genocide through war and overt measures of death through starvation and disease or giving blankets with small pox. Second, removal from land and removal of children for assimilation. Thirdly, parents ceasing to be parents, heartbreak lead to alcoholism and abuse. Today, we wonder why our indigenous people continue to suffer epidemic proportions, it is and always will link to the process of dehumanization by the systems of our government. We are survivors, not victims! In beauty it shall be restored! Help us through advocacy not your pity!!