Isumagijaksaq: Mindful of the State: Social Constructions of Inuit Suicide
Author(s)
Tester, Frank James; McNicoll, Paule
Abstract
Various social constructions have been used to make sense of Inuit suicide, with anthropologists popularizing the idea of elderly Inuit voluntarily abandoning their lives to the elements so as not to burden their surviving relatives. An examination of the literature and research dealing with Inuit suicide suggests that three typologies have typically been used to explain the problem: organic or quasi-organic explanations, social explanations involving concepts of social change and social disruption, and socio-psychological models of two types; a risk assessment approach focusing on the circumstances surrounding the deceased or the person with suicidal thoughts and another dealing with norms, values, thought processes and relationships within Inuit culture.We argue that these approaches offer incomplete explanations of the current problem. Low Inuit inuusittiaqarniq (self-esteem) is an important factor in Inuit suicide, but rather than a psychological problem, has its roots in a history of colonialism, paternalism and historical events.
