Indigenous Suicide and Colonization: the Legacy of Violence and the Necessity of Self-Determination

A theoretical case study & analysis of contemporary suicide among Maori youth is presented. In a traditional Maori conceptulization, individual well-being is sourced & tied to the well-being of the collective cultural identity. Individual pain is inseparable from collective pain & the role of the collective becomes that of carrying individuals who are suffering. The state of “kahupo” or spiritual blindness is characterized by a loss of hope, meaning, purpose, & an enduring sense of despair. The authors describe community empowerment practices & social policy environments that offer pathways forward from colonization towards indigenous self-determination, noting significant obstacles along the way. (35 refs.) JA