Alaska Native youth suff er disproportionately
from suicide. Some researchers explain this by pointing
to social disintegration brought on by rapid social
change, but few make the connection to an ongoing
colonialism explicit. This paper articulates some of
the ways that colonial discourses aff ect Inupiat young
people's self-conceptions, perceived choices, and,
consequently, their behavioral health. Inupiat youth
narratives will illustrate these connections and, in so
doing, off er new ways to understand youth suicide in
Native communities.