At the Dena’ina Wellness Center’s outdoor ceremonial space Friday evening, about a dozen people gathered for the Kenaitze Indian Tribe's Hope and Healing Ceremony. The event is aimed at addressing suicide, especially within Alaska Native populations.
“The more that we talk about suicide, it decreases that stigma which prevents people from seeking help if they’re having thoughts of suicide,” said Audré Hickey, project coordinator of the tribe’s youth suicide prevention program. Hickey organized the ceremony.
“I think really encouraging our community to start having conversations about suicide is going to lead to better prevention down the line,” she said.
This is the first time the tribe has ever held the Hope and Healing Ceremony, although they’ve had similar suicide prevention walks in the past. The Dena’ina Wellness Center also specializes in behavioral health services, including mental health and suicide prevention.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Alaska has the second highest suicide rate in the country at a rate of 27.6 per 100,000 people in 2022. Alaska Natives have the highest suicide rate in the state.
“Our Alaska Native community is disproportionally impacted by suicide, so it’s really important for us to gather together, heal, honor those we’ve lost and honor our journey that we’ve been in without them,” Hickey said.
After a few folks pinned photographs or messages to loved ones lost to suicide on a bulletin board dubbed the Wall of Remembrance, Soldotna's George Holly leads the group around the perimeter of the wellness center, singing songs he’s composed with Dena’ina elders. Holly, who also goes by his Deg Xitan name Yuxgitsiy, has struggled with thoughts of suicide and felt compelled to perform at the ceremony.
Holly says events help struggling individuals feel less alone and bolster community healing.
“It gives me hope that a gathering like this can happen and that our path is going to become clearer and stronger, and we can rely on each other more,” he said.
Four songs by the Heartbeat of Mother Earth Drum Group closed the ceremony. Attendees stood close to the large drum, some consoling each other. After the last song ended, the crowd goes quiet.
Grace Merritt works with the tribe’s youth suicide prevention program and helped organize the ceremony.
“I want people to remember the community aspect and coming together," Merritt said. "There was a really strong shared energy between all of us today, and I want people to remember that there’s people in the community who care.”
Here’s George Holly talking about the ceremony, which happened to fall on the first sunny day all week.
“The world became beautiful for us today. It was all rain, and it became utterly gorgeous and bright and warm," Holly said. "We circumambulated the wellness center and ended up here in the plaza and said prayers and sang, and I believe as we sang, our minds traveled and connected to our loved ones, and that we’re going to walk away from here thinking about them and being able to make it through the next day.”
If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, call the suicide and crisis lifeline by dialing 988. The 24/7 lifeline can connect you to local resources.