Suicide in Siberian Aboriginal Groups

Abstract

A search of historical documents about suicide in Siberian tribes in the 18th and 19th centuries indicated that they had very high suicide rates. It would be of great interest to explore suicidal behavior in these tribes today.

Keywords:

• Siberia
• chukchee
• suicide

Notes

¹Although most of the examples given by Shternberg involved hanging, there are instances today of suicide by shooting. For example, one woman, interviewed in 1995, remembered her brother shooting himself at the age of 17 because of unrequited love, and she recalled other members of her family committing suicide by shooting (Shternberg, 1999, p. 198).