Transcript Oho Mauri Cultural identity, wellbeing, and Tāngata Whai

Telling the story of Māori Suicide
Dr. Lynne Russell
Kāi Tahu
Ngāti Kahungunu
3258 in 6 years
541 in 2012/2013 year
10 each week
Nephew
aged 17
son, partner,
grandson, brother of 3,
nephew, cousin,
friend
Nephew
aged 21
son, partner,
father of 1, grandson,
brother of 2, nephew,
cousin, friend
Husband
aged 42
son, husband,
Dad of 5, brother of
8, brother-in-law of
8, Uncle, Papa,
nephew, cousin,
friend
1st cousin’s
husband
aged 30s
son, husband, Dad
of 3, step-Dad of 3,
grandson, brother,
brother-in-law,
Uncle, nephew,
cousin, friend
1st cousin
aged 32
daughter, wife,
Mum of 2,
granddaughter,
sister of 4, sisterin-law, Aunty of
12, niece, cousin,
friend
Aunty
aged 32
daughter,
Mum of 3, sister
of 7, sister-inlaw,
Aunty, niece,
cousin, friend
1st cousin’s
husband
aged 40s
son, husband,
Dad of 2, brother,
brother-in-law,
Uncle, nephew,
cousin, friend
1st cousin
aged 30
son, partner,
grandson, brother
of 3, brother-inlaw, Uncle,
nephew, cousin,
friend
1st cousins’
half-brother
aged 22
son, grandson,
brother, nephew
cousin, friend
How can we
stop suicides ?
“I continue to
believe we need
to gently bring
the issue of
suicide from out
of the
shadows.”
(Chief Coroner,
Judge Neil
MacLean, 3 Sept
2012)
 “It needs to be
discussed out in
the open. For too
long we have
carried shame for
having feelings of
suicide or
knowledge that
someone we love
has taken their
lives. We are bereft
with confusion,
guilt and anger.”
(Wahine Māori, 18
March 2013)
“It is the kind of pain that is difficult to voice
because it is so complex. But we must speak to it
out loud without shame if we are ever going to
heal from it.” (First Nations sister, 18 March 2013)
 Whānau must be facilitated to tell their own
stories… to exercise rangatiratanga over their lives
 “The greatest
resource is
whānau…” (Dame
Iritana
Tawhiwhirangi)
 “Whānau offer the
most untapped
potential for Māori
suicide
prevention.” (Hon
Tariana Turia)
 “I think if people could see how utterly bereft
and devastated suicide leaves those most
important to them and how people damage
themselves because of the loss that a beloved
one’s suicide does to them –
would it make a difference?
Most often I see the silent
ongoing pain that with the
passing of time tends to mask,
but it is always ever present.”
(Indigenous woman)