SALT LAKE CITY — Over the summer, Shari Pena’s 3-month-old foster son
chuckled for the first time when his older sister sneezed, kicking off a
new family tradition.
The Penas gathered to celebrate the giggle, a milestone in the child’s
Navajo culture. They shared a chicken and rice dish in their West Valley
home and took a pinch of salt from the baby’s palm, a gesture
symbolizing his generosity.
As the federal law governing child welfare cases for Native American
children has withstood recent legal challenges in Utah and in other
states, the Penas are among those cheering the victories. The Indian
Child Welfare Act sets special standards in the adoption
and foster care proceedings and gives preference to Native American
families — part of an effort by Congress to correct historical bias
against them.
“It’s important that these kids stay in native homes,” Pena said. “We understand one another, our past and our ancestors.”
Pena, a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, said certain aspects of Navajo
culture mirror her own upbringing in Oklahoma, including a strong focus
on family. For newer factors like the first laugh party, she seeks
guidance from the child’s biological grandmother
and his four foster siblings.
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