Poipoia te kākano, kia puawai: resilience and resistance in the lives of Māori adoptees

Abstract

Closed stranger adoption has not commonly been recognised as a tool of Indigenous oppression in Aotearoa New Zealand, yet it was a colonial practice that caused great harm to Māori. This article narrates some of the ways in which adoptees who identify as Māori demonstrate resilience and resistance to the pernicious effects of closed stranger adoption. Using a mana (strengths-based values) enhancing approach, meaning we champion respect and understanding, this research elucidates how Māori adoptees navigate complex social relationships in courageous and creative ways, including when seeking birth kinship, maintaining those relationships, and making broader efforts to (re)connect with things Māori. Māori adoptees want their experiences to be recognised by Māori and non-Māori alike, so that the ongoing harms of closed stranger adoption can be redressed, and the next generations do not continue to live the negative impacts.