In 2016, I took a trip to Kangiqsualujjuaq (ᑲᖏᕐᓱᐊᓗᑦᔪᐊᖅ in Inuktitut,) Nunavik*, northern Quebec. Some of you may be wondering, “Don’t you mean Nunavut?” No, I mean Nunavik. Nunavik is one of the 4 Inuit regions in Canada. Nunavut is the only one at this point however that has its own recognized territory in Canada, separate from any other province or territory. (See footnote at bottom of this post for more info.)
Not long before my trip I learned that while Canada still lacks a national strategy on suicide prevention the Inuit had released a comprehensive strategy earlier in the year.
In the face of Canada 150 and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission report, at a time when Canada is on one hand fighting to acknowledge the atrocities of colonialism, and on the other ignoring them, we at Life Voice believe using the Inuit suicide prevention strategy as a model for Canada to construct their own is one of the many ways we as a nation can recognize the wisdom of the Inuit people, and use this as an opportunity to rightfully edify some of the first peoples in this land.
The six pillars that make up the National Inuit Suicide Prevention Strategy (NISPS) are:
(1) creating social equity,
(2) creating cultural continuity,
(3) nurturing healthy Inuit children from birth,
(4) ensuring access to a continuum of mental wellness services for Inuit,
(5) healing unresolved trauma and grief, and
(6) mobilizing Inuit knowledge for resilience and suicide prevention.
#6 ties in nicely with a Canada-wide model based on the NISPS. This could be one way to mobilize Inuit knowledge for resilience and suicide prevention.
One of the key actions for year one of the NISPS’s implementation was to roll out two programs: ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training – of which there is an Inuit-specific version in addition to the standard ASIST program,) and Mental Health First Aid – Inuit. MHFA-I is again an Inuit-specific version of the standard MHFA program which is available nationwide.
Recognizing the importance of nurturing healthy children from birth is a key pillar. We have been thinking a lot about this pillar and its value in so many regards. One of the many fond memories I have of visiting Kangiqsualujjuaq was how children were with adults often. They attended meetings with them, some of our workshops. They were curious and welcomed. Clearly, they were valued and recognized members of the community.
Below are some illustrations taken from the NISPS which can teach us about Inuit, some of the unique challenges that face the Inuit community when it comes to suicide prevention, as well as pieces of what lay at the root of suicide risk that are relevant to us all.
To read the NISPS in full click here. If you are part of an organization we encourage you to use the NISPS as a framework to inform your own strategies. If you are part of the Canadian government we encourage you to use this as a reference to develop our much needed national framework.
Building on that, starting in the new year Shawna Percy, Founder of Life Voice, and our partner Michelle Peek, co-founder of Art Not Shame, will embark on a journey of 150 Acts of Reconciliation. As such, Life Voice will be putting our daily inspirations on hold and hope that your hope, learning, inspiration, and awareness around Indigenous culture will be fostered through this next project. Shawna will be looking at the 150 Acts of Reconciliation through the lens of suicide and prevention, and Michelle will be engaging in this project through the lens of art and shame. We will be engaging with indigenous community and national partners throughout this project, and welcome your feedback and resources along the way as we go at our own pace and expand our knowledge.
Until then, Life Voice wishes you and your loved ones peace and rest over the holidays. We’ll see you in the New Year.
“Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK) is the national representational organization for Canada’s 60,000 Inuit, the majority of whom live in four regions of Canada’s Arctic, specifically, the Inuvialuit Settlement Region (Northwest Territories), Nunavut, Nunavik (Northern Quebec), and Nunatsiavut (Northern Labrador). Collectively, these four regions make up Inuit Nunangat, our home land in Canada. It includes 53 communities and encompasses roughly 35 percent of Canada’s landmass and 50 percent of its coastline.” ~ Taken from the NISPS