KUGLUKTUK/COPPERMINE
"Suicide isn't the answer!" is the message Sylvia Kilgik has to share through her Christmas crafts.

Sylvia Kilgik of Kugluktuk crochets Christmas crafts with a message of life and hope. She is preparing to participate in a coroner's inquest into suicide in Nunavut scheduled for 2015. - photo courtesy of The Society for Building a Healthier Kugluktuk

The Kugluktuk woman had family and friends die by suicide. She herself has been suicidal at one time in her life.

But with the help of counselling, Kilgik arrived at positive decisions about her life.

"My parents never born me to suicide. Suicide is pain to the brain. Suicide isn't the answer. Loveable faith is the answer. It brings peace," she said.

Her healing journey also involves caring and sharing.

"Caring for my son is important to me. My art and crafts have been helpful. I like to share my story and encourage others to choose life. I help myself by helping others."

Kilgik crochets full-size toques and miniature Christmas tree decoration toques. She also sews wall hangings and mobiles. Her work graces Christmas trees, walls and heads all over the country.

But, at the same time, Kilgik is preparing for something far more difficult. She will be participating in the Office of the Coroner's inquest into suicide scheduled for 2015. Chief coroner Padma Suramala called the discretionary inquest as a result of 45 suicides in the territory in 2013.

Terry Garchinski, a therapeutic counsellor with Lifeworks Counselling and Training Services, is working with Kilgik.

"I was asked to support Sylvia because she had volunteered. I have worked with lots of people who are suicidal, or who are thinking of suicide, or who are dealing with suicide after someone else has attempted, or they themselves have attempted," said Garchinski.

"I've been helping Sylvia look at some of the issues around people in her family and friends who ended their life by suicide and how she was making sense of that, and how she can support herself."

Garchinski, who has Kilgik's permission to speak to Nunavut News/North, explains that an inquest can involve a lot of questions, and could be intimidating.

"My approach is to help the person become at peace with themselves and what happened, as much as possible. If they can talk to someone like me who is supportive and non-judgmental, and say all that they need to say - they're better able to say it to others without being so triggered."

The inquest is important for the whole territory.

"The intent of the inquest is to build on the work already done by the chief coroner and the community coroner with respect to suicide, highlight risk factors and warning signs, raise public awareness and facilitate making recommendations to avoid preventable deaths in future," Suramala has said.

Garchinski says, "Whenever you have individuals directly impacted by suicide, they need to be heard. If changes of policy on the territorial level is going to happen, people need to be heard directly.

"Sylvia's willingness to tell at least parts of her story is to help address this whole issue."

He says it's very personal, but it's also systemic - whether it be as a result of residential schools or the legal system, for example.

"Because individuals like Sylvia are willing to talk about it from their direct experience, hopefully the inquest will get many factors that don't blame the victims, the people who ended their lives, or the families, friends or partners but, rather, look at systemic issues to see what sets people up to be at such a difficult spot."

Kilgik, says Garchinski, is setting a creative example.

"Sylvia's solution is not to be held powerless, but to use her power and her creativity to help others. Sylvia is using her power, her gifts as a writer and her gifts as a crocheter, to help people."

Kilgik is sending a wish to all the people of Nunavut and Canada. "Have a Merry Christmas and live to enjoy the New Year!"

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