30 Jan 2013

Culture has answers to suicide - lecturer

7:01 am on 30 January 2013

A lecturer in Maori Health at Otago University's Wellington campus says Maori health professionals are looking for answers within their own culture on preventing suicide.

Keri Lawson-Te Aho told more than 700 people who joined an online seminar to discuss Maori suicide that the mainstream method doesn't work for Maori.

She said Maori have to overcome their fear that they don't have the answers to the many issues relating to suicide.

Dr Lawson-Te Aho said Maori have to stand together for the prevention of suicide and know they have the skills and the wisdom to make a difference.

She said it's also important to seek help when necessary, but at the end of the day it's the whanau who have to bury their kids.

Dr Lawson-Te Aho said the orthodox attitude of, "show me the evidence that cultural interventions work", needs to change.