Home page

Text size

E-mail this page

RANKIN INLET
A large gathering of youths and adults came together to embrace life and rally against suicide at Maani Ulujuk Ilinniarvik (MUI) in Rankin Inlet earlier this month.

Rankin's own Jordin Tootoo of the Detroit Red Wings joined the gathering via a Skype connection.

Principal Jesse Payne said the suicide-awareness event was funded by the mental health department. He said a meeting was held at the hamlet to draw up a plan for the event, which MUI helped execute.

"The idea behind it was to give students a better sense of what resources are available in the community," said Payne.

"They did up a little scavenger hunt and we put our students together in their home-room teams. They made banners for the event, which were taken by the teams as they went on the hunt as a group.

"The idea was to seek out individuals they would go to if they were feeling depressed or thinking about harming themselves."

Payne said the students had to get their pledges signed, with the first group back after completing the task receiving a pizza party.

He said mental health worker Ujaralaaq Eno was MC of the event, while Mayor Pujjuut Kusugak addressed the gathering about the importance of having family and close friends around to talk to.

"Corinne Pilakapsi delivered a very strong message about the death of her brother, Terence Tootoo.

"Then we piped Jordin Tootoo in by Skype and he also talked about the importance of having close friends and people you can go see if you need to."

Payne said the groups waved their banners around the community during the event.

He said the banners made by the senior and junior students will be hung in the halls around the school.

"We hope the banners will be a reminder to the students on the importance of life.

"Awareness is a big part of what we need to do to combat suicide by educating individuals.

"And, a big part of that is how we look after ourselves and the things we do to keep ourselves healthy.

"A group of parents came together recently to start an evening program on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and that's a big part of what we have to see happen: have the community come together to rally against (suicide)."

We welcome your opinions. Click here to e-mail a letter to the editor.