| Summary: | This chapter discusses the social–historical background against which Inuit youth have one of the highest suicide rates in the world. It takes a community, cultural, and historical perspective and considers the view that suicide is a symbol of social suffering. The chapter examines the dominant forms of sociocultural change among Inuit during the past several decades. Although White people arrived in the Arctic in the early 20th century as missionaries, police, and a large fur-trading company, the most significant force of change in Inuit history was the moving of Inuit from their land camps into crowded settlements in the 1950s and 1960s. Much of this imperialism/colonialism is discussed, as is hunting, sharing, and schooling.
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