Abstract:
This study explored the experiences of mothers of multiracial/cultural children
within the context of family, school, and community. Three categories of mothers of
multiracial/cultural children were interviewed privately and then invited to meet as a group
to explore some of their reflections and experiences. The categories consisted of 4 mothers
with multiracial/cultural children presently attending elementary school, 2 mothers of
multiracial/cultural children who are now adults and 3 mothers from my own
multiracial/cultural family. The study explored the researcher's personal quest for a
multiracial/cultural identity and combined interviews with her daughter, her sister, and her
mother to reveal the multiracial/cultural experience from a personal perspective.
Content analysis of the narratives revealed that multiracial/cultural children
produce their own culture and establish new and personally relevant priorities as they
develop their self-identities. Findings further indicated that present-day, mainstream
mothers from the dominant majority group of Canadians, tell a different story than similar
mothers of previous cohorts, and that although sociopolitical and economic changes have
influenced the experiences ofthese women, their stories remain remarkably similar across
racial and cultural lines.
The findings from this study may promote the development of multicultural
programs in Canada as they offer both prospects and challenges to multiracial/cultural
children and multicultural educators. It is hoped that this study will provide a better
understanding of multiculturalism and encourage educators to heighten their racial and
cultural awareness as they strive to critically examine their own cultural stories and realign
their praxis within the evolving Canadian mosaic.
