“The Shameless Pain?”: A Maori Mother’s Grief Processing the Effects of Suicide

Abstract

This piece is about my experience of suicide and the systemic epistemology between culture and laws that are structured like a one size fit all ugly pair of shoes that a mother like me will wear for the rest of my life. I will speak about my experience in this heartbreaking real-life situation through the holistic views of Te Ao Maori and the law. My daughter's name is Chanelle Te Kura Waru, she was born on the 18^{th of} July 1995. Chanelle died from an intentional overdose she was just 21 years old. Chanelle was an articulate independent young woman and she is our only child, her father and I loved her unconditionally, to the world she was just one person, to her father and I she was our world.

In 2016/2017, 606 people committed suicide, 457 were males and 149 were females, the highest statistic age group is 20-24yrs. The highest suicide death by methods is hanging or overdose. Maori are the highest ethnic group recording 130 deaths in 2016/2017. May 10, 2017, is the day that I was labeled a victim and my daughter a statistic.