Addressing cultural identity
Adoption across cultural boundaries creates unique challenges for children and their families. Research suggests that the way in which parents manage the ethnic and cultural differences of their adopted child has a significant impact on the child's adjustment.
- Cultural awareness
- Developing a child's cultural and ethnic identity
- Ngita's story
- Activity 6 - Parenting a child from a different cultural background
Cultural awareness
Cultural differences should be celebrated, embraced and acknowledged by adoptive families. This can include celebrating special occasions, visits to the child's country of origin and establishing social networks with children of similar ethnic and cultural background.
The attitude of adoptive parents towards their child's cultural background and their commitment to nurturing the child's identity will impact on the child's development.
Forming positive and supportive relationships with people of similar race, culture and country of origin as the adopted child is instrumental in developing the child's pride and connection with their birth country.
Research studies of adults who were adopted from overseas countries indicate that an understanding of culture can only be learnt from another person of that culture.
These adults also indicated that while it may not be possible for adoptive parents to have an intimate knowledge of their child's culture, it is important that the adopted child develop positive relationships with role models or mentors from their culture.
Adoptive parents can integrate their child's ethnicity and culture into their family by:
- learning to speak their child's language
- eating the traditional foods of their child's culture
- incorporating traditions from their child's culture into their family
- purchasing books about their child's country of origin
- purchasing dolls with the same skin colour as their child
- travelling to their child's country of origin
- developing friendships with families who have adopted children from the same country of origin
- developing friendships with people from their child's country of origin
- involving their family in recreational, religious or sporting activities of their child's cultural background and ethnicity
- attending special celebrations of their child's cultural background, such as festivals
- learning the history, music, dress and art of their child's culture.
Developing a child's cultural and ethnic identity
Research suggests that developing a child's cultural and ethnic identity can be achieved by implementing the following practical tips:
- Give your child all of the information you have about their country of origin.
- Use your child's parents' names if you know them rather than 'birth mother' and 'birth father'.
- If you do not have any information about your child's family, try to document why you do not have, or are unable to access the information.
- If your child has a name from birth, explain that it is from their country of origin.
- Do not allow your child to be rude about their birth parents or country.
- Discuss racism openly and develop a family atmosphere where anything can be discussed.
- Look constantly at your own attitudes towards racism.
Ngita's story
Ngita was born in Bangladesh in 1974. It is believed she was about two years old when she was adopted. Ngita has no information about her birth parents and no way to search for them as she was found on the streets in Dacca. Ngita's adoptive parents are Australian, she has one sister who is also adopted from Bangladesh and one brother adopted from India. Currently she is working in advertising. Ngita feels strongly that her adoption should not be viewed in a negative way.
'I was found on Road Fourteen, Dacca, with another little boy. We were both badly beaten and were not expected to survive, so we were taken to Mother Theresa's home for the dying. We defied everyone by responding to the care offered and were soon transported to the Save the Children Nutritional Unit, where I was lucky enough to land in a 'sponsored bed'. On hearing that I was healthy enough for adoption, my future parents soon had a room ready for my imminent arrival in Australia. My companion was also adopted, but into a different family. Unfortunately we never kept in touch. We were the first children to be adopted out of Bangladesh.
'I have an awareness of Indian culture only because my mother has immersed herself deeply into it. But I don't have any knowledge of the history or culture of Bangladesh - completely of my own choice. Much to the horror and dismay of my mother, I have grown up rejecting all things Indian - music, books, clothes and customs (except the food). Indian culture represents everything I don't like. For example, I don't like the idea of poverty and it distresses me greatly that if I hadn't been adopted then that's exactly where I'd be. It distresses me further when people are then ruled by their economic status.
'I will always be grateful to my mother for giving me the exposure to the culture, but for the time being I remain a lost cause. My disdain for Indian culture is not anyone's fault - it is my own decision. This is tied to a mentality that I am not Indian. I know I look Indian, but only because the mirror on the wall tells me so. It's very strange but this notion is so strong that when I dream I am white.'
Activity 6 - Parenting a child from a different cultural background
In your learning journal, comment on the following questions:
- What would it mean to you to be a multicultural family?
- How would you integrate and maintain your child's ethnicity and culture into your family?
- What is your understanding of why adopted children are particularly vulnerable to racism and discrimination?
- How would you assist and support your child in dealing with negative racial stereotypes within the community? How would you prepare your child?
- What information or support would you access to enable your child to develop a healthy self-esteem and positive cultural identity?
- Last updated
- 19 October 2007