Building Cultural Identity:the Role Of Indigenous Elders In Reducing Risk Factors For Australian Indigenous Youth Suicide

Suicide is a complex topic.In Australia.Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people take about 3.3%of the total population.but they have much higher suicide rates than non-indigenous Australians.The Indigenous suicide rates were almost twice of the non-indigenous peoples' in 2018.For decades,there have been funds,strategies and services from the government to help in preventing more Indigenous suicide,but the suicide rates in recent years are still quite high.Indigenous suicide is a more complicated issue and its prevention should not be based simply on the medicalised model.Much evidence suggests the importance of culture in suicide prevention.This thesis tries to analyse Australian Indigenous suicide from the cultural aspect and the Indigenous Elders' role and it agrees that the suicide prevention should be applied more at the community level rather than the individual level.Particularly,it pays attention to the relationship between cultural identity and Indigenous wellbeing,protective factors and risk factors for suicide,and Indigenous Elders' role in building young fellows' cultural identity.This thesis argues that through building young Indigenous people's cultural identity and empowering them in their life,the Elders can play an important role in helping them cope with life better,promoting protective factors and reducing risk factors for Australian Indigenous suicide.Through studying the case recorded in the award-winning documntary film Putuparri and the Rainmakers,the author explores the role of the Indigenous Elders in building young people's cultural identity and promoting their wellbeing.