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…
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
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…
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