Richard Gleeson
Northern News Services

CAMBRIDGE BAY(Nov 30/98) - Heartbreaking stories were told and tears flowed as delegates at the first Nunavut Youth and Elders Conference grappled with the tragedy of suicide among Inuit youth.

The message elders delivered during the Nov. 24-27 meeting was clear -- don't try to bear the burden yourselves.

"If any of you young people out there have something you are aching to say, please go to someone and pour it out," urged Iqaluit elder Celestin Erkidjuk. "Don't keep it inside. There's always someone else in the community to talk to. Your load will be a lot lighter if you tell someone."

During the first half- day the subject was discussed, almost all of the youth delegates adopted a stony silence, some covering their faces with their hands, as weeping elders demonstrated publicly the solution they were asking youth to try privately.

"I've lost three grandchildren," said one elder. "I loved my grandchildren very much. It really hurts in my heart. I start to feel guilty. I ask 'Why? Am I saying or doing the wrong things?' I've always had that question in my mind. Why? Why?"

Many of those who spoke apologized for the sadness they brought to the gathering.

Erkidjuk often took it upon himself to offer comfort, walking over to those who were speaking and sitting beside them with a comforting hand on their back as they wept.

The message was not lost on the youth. On the second day of the discussion, some spoke of their thoughts of suicide, the friends they have lost and the difficulty of following the advice they were being given.

"It's difficult, sometimes, to open up to anyone," said Brandy Kanayuk of Pond Inlet. "Sometimes it's right there on the tip of your tongue, but it's very difficult to say it."

Pangnirtung youth delegate David Nakashuk echoed Kanayuk's statement, saying youth were often too shy to tell elders their problems.

"The advice I give is to tell youth to speak to those of your age group," he said. "It really takes a load off to tell someone else your innermost feelings."

The issue of elders expecting to be paid for their advice was also held up as an obstacle. Resolute Bay elder Solomon Kallak said that was a sign of how far Inuit had strayed from their traditions.

"We're not used to this society where we get paid for everything we want to do," said Kallak. "Let's not think about payment, let's think about helping ourselves.

"Advice and speaking to one another does not cost us anything. It's free. We have to show more love to our young people."