On the Matter of Cross-Cultural Aboriginal Adoptions

The appropriateness of adoption of Aboriginal children by nonAboriginal people is an issue that has been hotly debated for many years. Despite court battles on individual cases, human rights tribunals related to class action from both sides, and considerable newspaper and related media attention to the issue, there exists no real consensus on what is in the best interests of Aboriginal children in need of long-term care. This chapter presents an argument against the adoption of Aboriginal children by non-Aboriginal families. The arguments presented are from the cultural perspective, not the political, and flow not as much from hard research as from practical experience. The major thrust of the argument follows from the cultural issues at play. Aboriginal children are presented within their cultural context with their best interests tied to cultural considerations. These in turn tie to critical developmental milestones, such as identity formation in adolescence. It is observed that far too many Aboriginal to nonAboriginal adoptions break down, and is concluded that cultural dynamics must play a significant role in this process. I am informed primarily by my experience in the field of child