Guided by the Spirits: The Meanings of Life, Death, and Youth Suicide in an Ojibwa Community - Paperback

by Seth Allard (Author)

Guided by the Spirits is a case study of youth suicide in the Sault Sainte Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians. Written by a member of the tribal community, this study focuses on qualitative methods, indigenous experience, and collaborative approaches to explore the social and historical significance of youth suicide in an Ojibwa community. Guided by the Spirits combines traditional methods of analysis, extracts of interviews and field notes, and creative ethnographic writing to present the relationships between culture, history, identity, agency, and youth suicide. This book is a must read for lay readers, policy makers, and researchers who seek a window into contemporary Native American life as well as a critical interpretation of youth suicide in indigenous societies.

Author Biography

Seth Allard, MA, is a cultural anthropologist, Pipe Carrier and Ogichiidaa of the Bowheting Ojibwa, and a member of the Sault Saint Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians. He has a master's degree in anthropology from Western Michigan University, and his research focuses on indigenous culture and history and medical anthropology.