Keira, a Greenlandic woman, faces a heartbreaking reality as she navigates the complexities of parenting and cultural identity in Denmark. After being separated with her youngest daughter Zammi, Keira is only allowed one hour/week of visitation. Today, she blocks off this time every Friday morning. It is very different from the joy that she had experienced in being a mother.
For more than 10 years, Keira never stopped advocating. She is focused on being able to reunite with her older children, who were removed from her. But sadly, her journey was met with systemic challenges. A hotly contested parenting aptitude test was central to Zammi’s removal. Keira, who has a hard time with Danish, had to take this test by herself. To many, her plight illustrated how the system discriminates against the people of Greenland, and it disproportionately discriminated against her.
Keira spent her childhood in the village of Qeqertaq, Greenland, a tiny settlement on the western coast of Greenland. She loves to recall the warm memories of her childhood, times spent driving a dog sleigh or hunting with her father. Her father, a retired director of a fish catching plant, educated her on the importance of hard work. Now working in a fish factory herself, Keira is still fighting to make sure that her kids have a better life than she had.
Now, as she looks back on that time, Keira thinks of the warmth and nourishment that she — long before her own removal — had already begun cooking up for Zammi. She can still visualize the items she collected: a bottle, dummy, warm clothes, a blanket, shampoo, and lotion. Keira went so far as to make a cradle for Zammi, producing a beautiful series of images of the cradle as evidence of her devotion as a new mother.
The Greenlandic people have faced culturally ingrained racism and stigma, and this societal prejudice created additional barriers for Keira. Indigenous rights advocate, Isak C Nellemann, notes that racist societal attitudes are at the root of these separations.
“Now I have to count the minutes. That pure joy was gone. And that moment I felt I could show my emotions.” – Keira
He questions the validity of these so-called parenting tests, which are frequently employed in these cases.
“There is a lot of stigmatisation of people from Greenland,” – Isak C Nellemann
Keira’s fierce ambition to rewrite the narrative of her life is driven by an abiding love for her children. Now, and despite the toll it takes on her, she carries this incredible burden of responsibility to advocate for their humanity and existence.
“We don’t know why we should use these tests for parenting.” – Isak C Nellemann
The impact of these forced removals goes far beyond a physical separation. Laila Bertelsen, an educational researcher who studies how cultural identity is formed in children, explains that these practices cut connections to children’s cultural roots.
“I say to myself, if I don’t do it, nobody will. I don’t care if somebody judges me. I know if I change something now, I will change something for Zammi.” – Keira
Bertelsen highlights the need to think about a child’s context in order to support their success and well-being.
“This means that the children are not only removed physically, but also cut free from their cultural roots and identity.” – Laila Bertelsen
Keira’s dreams are to be back together with Zammi by her first birthday. The emotional distance that the removal has created has made her feel cut off and helpless.
“Not only for the child’s safety, but for the child’s self-understanding and identity formation.” – Laila Bertelsen
Keira doesn’t shy away from discussing these challenges. Beyond the debt, she’s even more committed to advocating for herself and others who are going through what she has gone through. Her story will give you insight into what’s at stake for Indigenous rights and what it means to be a parent straddling two very different cultures.
“It feels like you come into the darkness,” – Keira
As she continues to face these challenges, Keira remains committed to advocating not only for herself but also for others who face similar struggles. Her story sheds light on the broader issues surrounding Indigenous rights and the complexities of parenting across cultural divides.