twice the national average) --the accusation of neglect particularly appears to be more like victim
blaming. Thus further establishing the pattern of assuming people are living in the past tense,
outside of help and therefore in need of being controlled. Where extra tribal adoption prioritizes
financial stability when identifying “fit” parents, the model of a nuclear family also prevails in
decisions so that the “better chance” could be given outside of the poverty stricken reservations.
On the reservation, in kin adoption the child would be cared for by an extended, group of
relatives, albeit facing poverty conditions.
The concern over understanding what “best interest” meant was shifted when the children
were placed into the context of their tribes. This movement from the individual to the whole
community meant the ICWA would address tribal sovereignty by allowing for the “best interest”
to be defined by the tribes and their extended kinship systems could be recognized, so that
Native Americans may regain control over their children. For all the discussion of tribes and
Native Americans, it is important to identify who it is that falls under the ICWA, in other words,
defining who is Native American. According to Strong, the ICWA applies to any child who is
the child of tribe member or who has the potential to be a tribe member, with each individual
tribe defining what an “Indian child” and who a tribe member is, which is not limited to
biological factors and with the recognition of extended kinship (Strong, 2003:212). Given that
the ICWA seems to be acting to in the best interest of children and their tribes, it seems to be
constructed with the intentions of offering some solace to future Native American families.
However, the ICWA does little to comfort families who were impacted by the extra-tribal
adoption that occurred prior to 1978.
Historical Impacts of Abandonment
Clementine’s grandmother suffers with feelings of abandonment and in an effort to
maintain some control over her pain, she fell into the trap of alcohol abuse, “my grandmother
appreciated my little grandma and all she had done for her but she always felt the pain of being
ab