‘IT COMES AS A SHOCK’

Eskasoni dealing with suicides among youth

Eskasoni dealing with two suicides in as many weeks.

There have been two suicides in as many weeks in Eskasoni.

For the First Nation community of about 3,000 souls on the northern shore of Cape Breton’s Bras d’Or Lake, they are painful losses in a long battle to keep its youth safe.

In 2009, four residents took their own lives over a five-week span.

“It comes as a shock,” said Hannah Battiste, 21.

“It makes me sad because I know how it feels to be alone in the dark and feel that you have nobody, that it’s hopeless.”

Both the most recent victims were youth, said Battiste.

Eskasoni is a rarity in Nova Scotia.

According to Statistics Canada’s 2016 census, the rural community’s average age is 27 – well below the provincial average of 47.

Since 2009, the community’s leaders have strived to build both crisis response – there’s 24/7 help for crisis cases at the community’s health care clinic – engagement between youth and elders and positive activities for its large youth cohort.

On Sunday, the crisis centre at the Eskasoni Health Centre and the community’s Elder’s Centre were open for anyone who wanted to talk about their struggles with the recent deaths.

“The chief and council have been very active promoting healthy living and wellness and supporting activities for the youth,” said Trevor Sanipass, an Eskasoni band member who moved to Lower Sackville for work as a probation officer.

“While it’s the largest Mi’kmaw community in the Atlantic provinces, it’s hard to provide jobs for all the young people.”

Beyond a lack of work opportunity, he said the community also struggles with drug use and hopelessness that can set in amongst those who are less involved.

Battiste lost her older brother, Steven Knockwood, to suicide when she was 11.

A year later, she attempted to take her own life for the first time.

Her most recent attempt was only last October.

“I had a lot on my plate at the time and it just seemed everything came crashing down,” said Battiste.

Now a youth worker for her community and planning to return to the Nova Scotia Community College in January to continue social worker training, Battiste is aiming to put the trauma of her experiences helping her fellow young people in Eskasoni.