Well, I am working on my second essay for my intro to sociology class.

This would be my second essay in five years! CRAZY!

This topic of this essay is: lack of cultural identity leads to increased suicide rates for Canadian Aboriginals.

It is a sensitive topic, but maybe more of a personal journey for me. I have attempted suicide many times. Ended up in ICU a couple of times, and in the hospital many times, and the longest stay I had was a month long stay in a psychiatric hospital for children.

Everything that lacked in receiving help: nobody listened to what I was saying; lack of cultural approaches/understanding.

I guess I kind of already know the answer to why the suicide rate is so much higher amongst Aboriginal youth (5-6x higher) than the rest of Canada from a personal level. The answer being: I was afraid to be Aboriginal and afraid to become a “True Aboriginal” when living off the reserve. Being an Aboriginal is having a culture. Having a culture is having a cultural identity. An Aboriginal Cultural Identity is something that has been oppressed for many years, especially since the Indian Act in Canada.

Also, I guess I am writing this essay as to wanting to know more about it and get a clearer understanding of why I did what I did.

Shall report later on the outcome of this essay! So excited to be writing this!