The 6th annual Celebration of Life with Snuneymuxw was held on September 12th, 2016.  Thank you to all who showed their support and came out to recognize that eliminating suicide takes a whole community. It was a busy day at Snuneymuxw so many of who wanted to be there could not be there but with the help of the Grade 4,5,6,7 from Qwam Qwum, we celebrated life and helped our youth to understand the positive in connecting with others and their traditions.

Gary Manson opened with a song as we walked to the point where we raised the yellow carnations and gestured four times before sending them out to sea with our love and thoughts for those we have lost and our hopes that we will prevent any more deaths from suicide. Approximately 50 people attended the lunch afterward and Matt Duane of Sirreal led the youth in a song of hope for the future.

The color yellow elicits feelings of hope and the yellow ribbons everyone wore represent the coming up of the sun and the start of a new day. By wearing the ribbons we are raising awareness to the issue of suicide with the hope it will be prevented.

Afterward a healing circle was held for those who needed to process their grief.

Hay ch q’u to all the Mental Health Staff who made this a success; Chris Leischner, Phillis Scott, Wayne Johnny and Herman White Jr.

Don’t forget that World Suicide Day is every September 10th and we will be holding our Celebration of Life next year on Tuesday, September 12th, 2017.