An Adoption Story: Ian’s Long Kept Family Secret and Surprise Heritage

S2 EP2: An Adoption Story - Ian's Journey Ian was born in Waihi, New Zealand, and adopted as an infant. He didn't discover his adoption until he was 48 years old. With the help of his daughter Yolande, Ian uncovered his previously unknown Māori heritage and slowly found connections with his birth mother. This is his story. Māori Vocabulary: Whakapapa = Genealogy Marae = Ancestral meeting grounds Iwi = Tribe Te Arawa waka = Double hulled canoe from Hawaiki Hawaiki = Our ancestral homeland in Polynesia Te Arawa = The name of our tribe About Me: I'm a Russian-New Zealand adoptee, adopted at two from Arkhangelsk, Russia. Here I share my personal journey as an adoptee and my series An Adoption Story, which highlights the journeys of adoptees from around the world. Learn about my life, my upbringing in New Zealand, and the significance of embracing my roots across Russia, Ukraine, and Kazakhstan. An Adoption Story explores incredible stories of adoptees, each with their own unique path. Connect with me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexgilbert/ YouTube: https://youtube.com/alexgilbert Facebook : https://facebook.com/nzalexgilbert