Many would think that in the 21st century, Native Americans might live in better, fairer conditions, but that is not the case In fact, “More than one million Native Americans are living in poverty” (ARNA).
Reservations were meant for Native Americans to reestablish their culture and regain their balance with nature, but none of that has happened.
The issues that Native adults face and cause have heavily fell on their Native children and teenagers.
We can’t just let them go on killing themselves, from the inside out; because with most Native Americans, first the soul dies, then the body.
Reservations were meant for Native Americans to reestablish their culture and regain their balance with nature, but none of that has happened.
- Instead, they have fallen into a loop of a life, plagued with things such as alcoholism,
- mass unemployment due to the difficulty of finding a job,
- mass poverty,
- shanty busted homes,
- and most don't have running water, nor electricity;
- plus their knowledge of their cultures have declined dramatically.
The issues that Native adults face and cause have heavily fell on their Native children and teenagers.
- The suicide rate is three times higher for Native American teens than non-Native Americans.
- Suicide is the second leading cause of death amongst Natives.
- Fifty percent of ninth grade girls in Red Lake Reservation have attempted suicide at least once; Thirteen percent of Native American boys tried committing suicide across the nation in the last year.
- On the Cheyenne River Reservation, there are three to seven suicide attempts per week.
- Fifty-two percent of Native Americans graduate High School and only eleven percent receive college degrees.
We can’t just let them go on killing themselves, from the inside out; because with most Native Americans, first the soul dies, then the body.