Australian basketball star Cayla George has opened up about her sister-in-law "gifting" her a newborn baby daughter as part of an ancient indigenous custom known as Kupai Omasker.
George and her husband Kailou have been together for 11 years, but were unable to conceive. Kailou is a Torres Strait islander and Kupai Omasker is a traditional practice in their culture, which sees a child get adopted by a relative or community member for a variety of reasons including fertility struggles.
The practice only recently became legally recognised after a bill was passed by the Queensland Government and George says the adoption of baby Pearl was "life-changing" for her.
"My husband is a Torres Strait Islander and in their culture they have a custom island adoption between family members - that's been around for generations," she said in an interview on Sunrise.
"It's only [just] become legal - there was bill passed in 2020 to make it officially legal, so good timing [for us]. And Kailou's beautiful sister Serena gifted us with baby Pearl.
"We got to name her though, so I've had her since birth. She has just been the biggest blessing in our lives.
"And I will be forever grateful and thankful to my beautiful sister-in-law for her selfless action of gifting me with a child." George was recently named the WNBL's Most Valuable Player and credited the birth of her daughter with giving her a "new perspective and a new mentality".
"It's pretty overwhelming if I'm being honest, I might cry right now," she said after winning the award for the first time in her career. "Becoming a mum has been the best thing ever.
"But like I said on stage, I credit this win to my daughter Pearl. She's given me perspective and a new mentality, I don't have time to overthink about my performance. I love seeing her in the stands in a purple jersey, it makes me so happy."
