There are some tattoos in the works at Northern Fancon in PG this year, and one of the pieces being worked on comes with a powerful message.
Sandra McArthur’s son, Quinnton, died after committing suicide in 2015, and his arms are a mosaic of art, not only in memory of him, but also to defend the mental health of men.
McArthur said the turtles he was getting tattooed on his left arm also helped with his healing.
“The main reason for getting a tattoo is not so much the memory of my son who passed away from the act of suicide, but the healing part that I get from him. And the symbolisms of each of the tattoos that I have have something specific regarding his suicide, the act of suicide, and the animals that bring healing.”
Haida Inkk tattoo artist who worked at McArthur, Gregory Williams or Kaajuu Gaaya found something in common with McArthur as his daughter also passed away.
Williams said her daughter Kaiya passed away five years ago and would have turned 19 this year.
McArthur said his first tattoo was a semicolon, symbolizing that his son’s story was not over.
“We know that specifically with men’s mental health, most of our men are taught not to talk about how they feel. If you can’t see it, it shouldn’t be broken, and unfortunately that was my son.”
“The stigma starts at a young age. Boys, you have to be strong, don’t talk about what you feel, don’t cry. So all these pressures that I as a mother, I can also say that I did that, because of the way we were raised as well,” she added.
McArthur also has a stripe on his right arm that has a picture of his son on it.
“He was on a journey beforehand, learning and educating about mental health, but nothing threw me deeper into the waters than his own death. And from that experience, and to this day, a large part of my life is dedicated to raising awareness, enhancing the compassion that I also need and have, and attracting others to do the same.”
“When we are silent, the stigma wins. And this is something I’ve talked about since his passing,” McArthur added.
