Aski Awasis/Children of the Earth: First Peoples Speaking on Adoption

by Jeannine Carriere (Editor)

Overview

A celebration of the work of Yellowhead Tribal Services Agency (YTSA) in Alberta, this collection of essays describes the agency‘s bold new model that integrates First Peoples’ adoption practices with provincial adoption laws and regulations. Now expecting closure to the long debate in Canada over adoption of Aboriginal children into non-Aboriginal families, the authors provide stories of good and bad adoptions over the years—and recommend ways to implement the new policies and practices.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781552663400
Publisher:	Fernwood Publishing
Publication date:	08/06/2010
Series:	Fernwood Basics Series
Pages:	112
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.40(d)

About the Author

Jeannine Carriere is a teacher at the School of Social Work Indigenous Specialization at the University of Victoria. She lives in Victoria, British Columbia.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements 8

Dedication Cindy Yellowface 9

Foreword Joey Hamelin 10

Contributors 11

1 Personal Location and Context Jeannine Carrière 13

Terminology 16

Adoption in Context 16

Note 19

References 19

2 Maintaining Identities: The Soul Work of Adoption and Aboriginal Children Jeannine Carrière 21

Loss and Identity 21

Identity and Indigenous Children 26

Resilience and Indigenous Children 30

Notes 34

References 34

3 Adoption Practices: A First Nation Perspective Grace Atkinson 37

Colonization and Residential Schools 37

Native Transracial Adoption 39

Racism 39

Identity Loss 41

Culture Loss 42

Community Loss 43

Passing 43

Spiritual Loss 44

Reconnecting 45

Customary Adoption 45

Notes 52

References 53

4 The Yellowhead Tribal Services Agency Open Custom Adoption Carolyn Peacock Deborah Morin 57

Open Custom Adoption Program 59

Community Profiles 62

Practice and Teachings from the Heart 67

Open Custom Adoption Program 68

Open Custom Adoption Ceremony 78

Note 80

References 80

5 Teachings from the Late Elder Bluestone Yellowface Darin Keewatin 83

Introducing Elder Bluestone 83

Epistemology 87

Storytelling 88

Language 89

Protocols 90

Ceremony 91

Aspects of Traditional Ceremonies 92

Power of Ceremony 94

Reciving the Ceremony 95

Types of Adoption 96

First Nation Children Adopted Out 98

Identity 99

Differences between the Traditional and YTSA's Ceremony 102

Notes 104

References 104

6 YTSA Families: Their Experiences and Recommendations for Pratice Jeannine Carrière 105

Famil Stories 106

Jason's Story (as told by his mom, Jo-Ann) 106

Angel's Story (as told by her parents, Derrick and Alicia) 107

Interviews 107

Themes 108

Recommendations for Practice in Customary Adoption 112

Racism 113

Culture 114

Spirituality 114

Adult Customary Adoption 114

Research 114

Recommendations from YTSA Adoptive Families and Youth 114

Soul Work: A Resilience-Based Approach within a Circle of Caring 115

The Circle of Connectedness for Aboriginal Children 116

Spiritual Development 116

Mental Development 116

Emotional Development 117

Physical Self 117

It Takes a Community 117

Conclusion 118

Note 119

References 119

7 Community and Culture: The Heart of the YTSA Open CustomAdoption Jeannine Carrière 121

Reference 125