S2 EP2 (2024 Series) An Adoption Story:
Ian was born in Waihi, New Zealand, and adopted as an infant. He didn’t discover his adoption until he was 48 years old, at which point he slowly started to find those connections with his birth mother. With the help of his daughter Yolande, Ian then uncovered his previously unknown Māori heritage.

This is his story.

If you have a story you wish to share for the series, please visit https://www.imadopted.org/submit

Māori words and their meanings in Ian's story:
Whakapapa = Genealogy
Marae = Ancestral meeting grounds
Iwi = Tribe
Te Arawa waka = Double hulled canoe which came here from Hawaiki
Hawaiki = Our ancestral homeland in Polynesia
Te Arawa = The name of our tribe
At the end Matua Anaru says "Tēnā koe", which is a formal greeting loosely translated as "Hello"

Ian's family has also asked if any relatives who may be connected with them could please reach out to us at [email protected].

You can also support my series by visiting our Givealittle page for I'm Adopted at https://givealittle.co.nz/org/imadopt...

About Myself:
Welcome! Here on my channel I share my journey, topics for adoptees, my vlogs, and support for others adopted, including their stories and journeys with my An Adoption Story series.

As a RussianNew Zealand adoptee, adopted at the age of two from an orphanage in Arkhangelsk, Russia, I share what I've been learning on my journey with my upbringing here in New Zealand, my current life, and how I connected with my birth family. I also share what my bloodline means for me with those connections from Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan.

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I’m Adopted https://imadopted.org/
Facebook:   / imadoptedorg  
Donate to I'm Adopted: https://givealittle.co.nz/org/imadopt...