Identities, 2024, First published online, 1 February 2024

Over the past two decades, understandings of Māori identity have been enriched through emphases on non-binary categorizations, processual ‘becoming’, and flexible ‘routes’ rather than rigid ‘roots’. While this work is commendable for expanding the range of identity options for Māori, it has not accounted for the unique position of Māori adoptees. This article presents the findings of research focused on the identity-related experiences of Māori adopted into Pākehā families in Aotearoa New Zealand. The ongoing and intricate workings of colonialism, and key limitations of Māori cultural, ethnic and Indigenous identities as currently conceptualized are elucidated in this unique case. (Authors' abstract). Record #8578