By definition suicide is described as taking your own life for the reason that you do not want to live anymore (“Suicide”, 2015). Within various Aboriginal communities series of suicides have been occurring. In a chapter by Ronald Niezen, he explores and analyzes the causes as well as the consequences of cluster suicide in Indigenous communities (Niezen, 2009). While reading the chapter, three main factors stood out, the first was the history of Aboriginals in relation to cluster suicide, social factors that could influence self-harm and also how cultural continuity could be used as a form of protection against cluster suicide. To begin, history is an important factor when analyzing a community, it allows the researcher insight on what events
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Children were forbidden to practice their indigenous culture and suffered a great deal of abuse while in these schools, therefore resulting in mental illness and confusion amongst Aboriginal communities (Niezen, 2009). Another historic issue that was caused by residential schools was the parent’s opportunity to learn basic parenting skills (Niezen, 2009). Having their children taken away stopped them from having the experience of raising a young child into an adult. This resulted in poor parenting skills amongst generations because they did not learn what parenting ways worked for them and their families. Thirdly, the final historical aspect of Aboriginal community’s in relation to cluster suicide is the indigenous lifestyle. As mentioned above residential schools greatly affected the children attending as well as their families. Aboriginals are known to have a history of mental illness and abusive lifestyles according to Niezen. (Niezen, 2009). Growing up in this type of environment will definitely influence the way an individual will behave in their adult life. If …show more content…
The first was the lack of social services offered to indigenous people. While Niezen did further research on how Aboriginal communities suffered poor mental states, abuse and addictions he found that the reason they were exposed to this lifestyle was because they had no opportunity to make their situations better. (Niezen, 2009). According to Niezen “The social displacements caused by large-scale resource extraction” (Niezen, 2009, p187) was partly to blame for the lack of help offered to the aboriginal communities. The second social factor that can influence cluster suicide in an aboriginal community is the lack of skills provided to indigenous individuals. Having to cope with such a tragedy is difficult even with help from health care providers, family and friends, but if you do not have the skills to overcome the tragedy it will result in greater social disruption. When looking into the history of Aboriginal communities it is possible to say that there are two things that may have influenced their coping methods to such tragedies (Niezen, 2009). The first is, as mentioned above the residential schools, withdrawing the individuals from their culture and families severely influenced their mental states, but the second aspect that influenced their personal welfare is the lack of skill training provided. They were never taught how to cope with the tragedies and therefore
Children were forbidden to practice their indigenous culture and suffered a great deal of abuse while in these schools, therefore resulting in mental illness and confusion amongst Aboriginal communities (Niezen, 2009). Another historic issue that was caused by residential schools was the parent’s opportunity to learn basic parenting skills (Niezen, 2009). Having their children taken away stopped them from having the experience of raising a young child into an adult. This resulted in poor parenting skills amongst generations because they did not learn what parenting ways worked for them and their families. Thirdly, the final historical aspect of Aboriginal community’s in relation to cluster suicide is the indigenous lifestyle. As mentioned above residential schools greatly affected the children attending as well as their families. Aboriginals are known to have a history of mental illness and abusive lifestyles according to Niezen. (Niezen, 2009). Growing up in this type of environment will definitely influence the way an individual will behave in their adult life. If …show more content…
The first was the lack of social services offered to indigenous people. While Niezen did further research on how Aboriginal communities suffered poor mental states, abuse and addictions he found that the reason they were exposed to this lifestyle was because they had no opportunity to make their situations better. (Niezen, 2009). According to Niezen “The social displacements caused by large-scale resource extraction” (Niezen, 2009, p187) was partly to blame for the lack of help offered to the aboriginal communities. The second social factor that can influence cluster suicide in an aboriginal community is the lack of skills provided to indigenous individuals. Having to cope with such a tragedy is difficult even with help from health care providers, family and friends, but if you do not have the skills to overcome the tragedy it will result in greater social disruption. When looking into the history of Aboriginal communities it is possible to say that there are two things that may have influenced their coping methods to such tragedies (Niezen, 2009). The first is, as mentioned above the residential schools, withdrawing the individuals from their culture and families severely influenced their mental states, but the second aspect that influenced their personal welfare is the lack of skill training provided. They were never taught how to cope with the tragedies and therefore