Indian event highlights suicide problem
‘Alarming’ increase among native youth
Derek Mathews, founder of the largest Native American cultural event of its kind, wants this year’s Gathering of Nations to help highlight a disturbing trend — the prevalence of suicide among native young people.
Across Indian Country, he told reporters last week, there’s been a “rash of suicides.” That includes seven adolescents who killed themselves in recent months at Pine Ridge, S.D., the youngest only 12 years old.
And there are far more deaths than that if you include people up to 21 years old, Mathews said.
“This is alarming. It’s going on everywhere ... Awareness is where we star t ,” he said.
To that end, this year’s Gathering of Nations will include meetings as part of a White House initiative known as “Generation Indigenous,” an effort aimed at helping native youth.
The Gathering of Nations’ fest iv it ies themselves, Mathews said, are also a powerful form of spiritual healing. Furthermore, he said, he simply wants the public to confront the suicides and begin thinking of ways to help.
Mathews joined Albuquerque Mayor Richard Berry and others Friday to invite New Mexicans to the Gathering of Nations, which starts Thursday. The event features the Miss Indian World competition, dancing, bands, native foods and other festivities.
It has a powerful impact on the local economy, Berry said, and city residents should check it out, even if they’ve never given it a try before. The event draws more than 700 tribes and tens of thousands of people, city officials said.
“It’s the largest-of-its-kind gathering of Native Americans in the world,” the mayor said.
“The food is absolutely fantastic.”
The celebration is now in its 32nd year. It runs from Thursday through Saturday. Some events are at the Albuquerque Convention Center and others at WisePies Arena aka the Pit.
General admission is $17 a day.