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

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.