Native youth discuss suicide, safety issues at Indian Nations and Tribes Legislative Day
By Shine Salt
SPECIAL TO THE TIMES
PHOENIX – Native youths from various tribes gathered at the Arizona State Capitol recently to voice their opinions on public safety, suicide prevention, health and wellness for the 20th annual Indian Nations and Tribes Legislative Day.
Youth groups like the Young River People’s Council and Tohono O’odham Youth Council were put into groups where they answered questions of what is the most public safety concern in their community.
“What we found most important is self identity because we feel it’s important to know who you are,” said 17-year-old Kaily Toney from the Salt River tribe. “It’s a strong base knowing who you are and the values to it. If we know these about ourselves it’ll help us not go towards negative things like alcohol or violence.”
One main impact concerning tribes is suicides among Native country, but the topic can be a discussion not many families like to share.
“When the (White Mountain Apache tribe) first started the suicide surveillance system, they didn’t really talk about suicide,” said Novalene Goklish, who’s the director for the tribe’s suicide prevention program. “It was really hard and once we started talking to the elders, they said speaking about something negative gives it more power. They said, we needed to face it head on because we’re not winning that battle by not speaking about it.”
Suicide programs within reservations and off are gearing toward culture and tradition to prevent and help guide youths away from violence by the help of elders.
Goklish said children might feel torn on whether they should practice their tradition or not since they were raised more on the Christian side.
“When we started working with our elder’s council we had some kids who had never gone to the sacred sites or knew nothing of the culture and tradition because that’s not something they’re being taught,” said Goklish. “It’s really important to try to include as much as we can our tradition and our culture. We know some families won’t agree with it and wont’ allow their kids to participate, which is fine and it’s their choice, but for those kids that we can share it with it’s important for us.”
Debbie Manuel, the executive director for the Morning Star Leaders Youth Council, likes the idea of stressing tradition to help youths. She said one of the risk factors that tribes face is expecting our young people to understand something very abstract.
“I like it when I can meet someone and say, ‘Yá’át’ééh shiyázhí.’ That touches your heart and even though the kids don’t quite understand what that means they can feel it,” said Manuel. “They can feel it when a grandparent comes up to them and uses those loving gentle words in their language.”
Four youth programs were awarded $3,500 by the National Relief Charities, which they will use to fund their project involving public safety. The Hopi Jr./Sr. High School was awarded and the students plan to build picnic tables or a basketball court within their residential home.
“We want to help build social development by using health and wellness,” said the group of Hopi students. “We want our community to come together because on our Hopi reservation, there’s not much communication with everyone and it’s hard for people to talk to one another. We want to help build something where families bond together, reconnect and to tell stories.”