The incidence of suicides and attempted suicides is one indicator of mental health and life satisfaction
within the population. The trends in suicidal behaviour vary with sex and ethnicity within the
population, and underscore the impact of culture on people’s lives and wellbeing. Although incidence
of suicide provides important information, there has been no systematic reporting of data within the
country. The only source of national data is the statistics unit of Fiji’s police force, who record all
deaths that were not caused by disease, along with such data as the sex and ethnicity of the
deceased. The police are willing to provide information on suicide to researchers and government
bodies, within the constraints of having the staff and other resources needed to provide such information.
The present article explores what we know about this important social issue, and investigates
some potential ways forward for dealing with it at individual and group levels.