Saule’s Journey: A Story of Adoption, Identity, and Rediscovery
A Journey of Identity and Belonging
In 2003, just six months after 9/11, a woman made the life-changing decision to adopt a child. Uncertainty surrounded her—was it the right time to raise a child in an unpredictable world? Yet, after the passing of her father, she chose to continue the legacy of family. Life moves forward, even in times of loss.
Her journey led her to Kazakhstan, where she adopted an infant girl and brought her to Canada. She named her after her Norwegian heritage, honoring her father’s roots. This was the beginning of a new chapter, bridging two cultures, two histories, and a world of possibilities.
Growing Up and Questions of Identity
Childhood was filled with warmth, curiosity, and discovery. She explored the world in simple ways—through the feel of melting ice cubes, the flicker of fire, and the wonder of learning. Yet, as she grew older, she began to recognize her differences.
She looked different from those around her. She carried features that reflected a distant homeland, a history she did not yet fully understand. While she was raised with love and inclusion, she became increasingly aware of the questions that remained unanswered: Who was she before this? What had she left behind in Kazakhstan?
Reconnecting with Heritage
As she grew older, she sought to understand her origins. With time, she reclaimed her Kazakh name—Saule—a step toward reconnecting with a heritage that had always been part of her. This was not a rejection of her past but an embrace of a fuller identity.
On her 22nd birthday, Saule attended a Turkic festival in Vancouver, where she experienced a cultural connection she had never known before. She stood among Kazakhs, people who shared her ancestry, her history, and her traditions. This was her first time meeting a community that reflected her roots, where conversations about heritage and belonging felt natural.
She listened, she shared, and in return, she found a sense of familiarity—an affirmation that she was part of something larger.
Heritage and Strength
Kazakh culture is deeply rooted in resilience, hospitality, and a strong sense of community. Historically nomadic, Kazakhs have adapted and thrived across generations despite challenges such as famine, Soviet rule, and cultural suppression. Their identity has endured through traditions, language, and an unwavering sense of belonging.
Wearing a traditional dress at the festival, Saule felt a shift within herself. She was not merely looking back at history—she was becoming a part of it. The journey of self-discovery had led her here, to a place where she could embrace both where she came from and who she had become.
She had never met her birth parents, but she had found a connection to the culture that shaped her origins.
A Meaningful Homecoming
That day, surrounded by friends and a newfound community, Saule experienced a deeper sense of belonging. She was not just someone with a distant heritage—she was Kazakh.
Her journey was not about finding what was lost but about recognizing what had always been within her.
In 2002, a child was given the name Saule.
In 2024, she reconnected with the meaning behind it.
