Perspectives on legalistic ("formal‟) and Indigenous ("informal‟) child adoption in a rural IsiZulu-speaking community.

Abstract

This study sets out to explore indigenous conceptions, views and understandings of child adoption within extended families of the isiZulu speaking community and is not only aimed at exploring but documenting, on a deeper level, the cultural influences on child adoption among a traditional rural isiZulu speaking community. It also looks at traditional/indigenous forms and practices of adoption so as to understand barriers, attitudes and perceptions towards formal (legalistic) child adoption within this community. The study makes use of an exploratory qualitative research design under the Afrocentric framework based on Ubuntu and the African understanding of family through purposive and snowball sampling. Data was collected by means of semi-structured interview schedules which were collected through individual interviews in isiZulu. The 14 sampled participants include those who have adopted using African approaches (informally), those who have not adopted a child (formally or informally), and the village elders (men and women). Cultural experts were also consulted for their views and understandings of the concept of adoption within this community. Data collected was then analysed using thematic analysis. The study found that people are still very much attached to their cultural ways of life and so to maintain such ways of life much emphasis is placed on the importance of cultural practices, identity and ancestry. Child adoption systems need to better integrate cultural ways of living and practices of such communities so people are less wary of utilising formal, legal systems.