Here, I include some words of wisdom from Dr Joe Solanto, a Canadian expert on healing in indigenous cultures.
In this important video, Joe emphasizes that in communities where people are able to connect to their culture, there are low or no problems with youth suicide. He also describes some of the specific elements that are involved in connecting indigenous people to their culture.
“And so when we look across the land and we see in the communities where these are the factors that are emerging they have very low or no problems with youth suicide, for example.
There are places around Canada where communities have done this sort of rebuilding and resurrecting themselves and the kids are getting the message that life is worth living, that the future has promise for me.
They see role models in their community and visible evidence of a possibility for themselves that can get them through that stormy angry period of adolescence so that they can hold on for that hopeful future.”