Makwa Sahgaiehcan First Nation asking for more suicide awareness education

“A lot of people, including myself, don’t understand the signs,” he said.

Ben said part of the problem is cyber bullying. He recalled some messages, some sent by people from other communities to people in Makwa Sahgaiehcan and said it’s scary.

“I don’t even see adults talk some of the way these kids talk to each other so there has to be something done about that but I don’t know what we can do,” he said.

Ben suggested banning Facebook and other social media pages but felt that wouldn’t solve the problem.

Focusing on the younger generation, he said the community needs to come up with supportive programs.

“We need more people to help out and be there for our kids… We do have good people here too, teachers and councillors here helping our kids, but we need more,” Ben said.

Nearly three weeks following the tragic suicide, Ben said the community is in mourning and still suffering from the loss.

Knowing the victim, coaching her in volleyball, Ben said she seemed like an elite athlete and a very popular person.

“My daughter was a good friend of hers and for myself, I talk to her every day, ask her how she feels about everything because there’s a lot of relapse for people so easing them off thinking like that is hard,” Ben said.

The suicide on Makwa Sahgaiehcan was the fifth of six in less than four weeks. Five other youth between the age of 10 and 14 have committed suicide in northern communities of La Ronge, Stanley Mission and Deschambault Lake.

After conversations with Lac La Ronge band chief Tammy Cook-Searson, Ben learned there was 39 suicide attempts in the northern region. He and Cook-Searson are working together to develop strategies to combat the crisis.

“My message is to love your kids, show them love all the time, a lot of times we get mad at them for doing something bad but don’t let that linger, don’t leave it alone,” Ben said. “Go talk to your kid, tell them ‘this is why I said what I said, I love you, and that’s the only reason I’m saying that.’ There’s a lot of hard times kids go through and a lot of times they just need love, and I think if all our kids have love they won’t think like that.”

Colton Swiderski is meadowlakeNOW’s municipal affairs, crime and court, health and education reporter. He can be reached at cswiderski@jpbg.ca or tweet him @coltonswiderski.

by Colton Swiderski

Makwa Sahgaiehcan First Nation asking for more suicide awareness education

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