Project Opikihiwawin and the Sixties Scoop: How White Parents Helped Their Adopted Children Connect With Their Indigenous Heritage

For decades, Indigenous children in Canada were taken from their families and placed in foster care or adopted into non-Indigenous homes-a practice most well-known as the Sixties Scoop but one that began years before and continues long after. Many of these children grew up disconnected from their cultures, languages, and communities. In response, a group of adoptive parents in Manitoba founded Project Opikihiwawin, a groundbreaking initiative to help their children reconnect with their Indigenous heritage.

Through parent support groups, children's programs, cultural gatherings, and partnerships with Indigenous Elders and communities, Project Opikihiwawin became a resource for connection and cultural learning. Written from the perspective of an adoptive parent, Project Opikihiwawin and the Sixties Scoop shares the history, challenges, and triumphs of the project, offering a deeply personal look at the impact of cross-cultural adoption and the resilience of Indigenous identity.

Jamie McKay describes her experiences with Project Opikihiwawin from her perspective as one of the Indigenous adoptees.