Within an Indigenous belief system, birth is regarded as a sacred rite of passage for the baby, mother, family and clan. Using rituals and ceremonies such as burying the placenta, elders helped to determine the spiritual fate of a newborn baby. Unfortunately, this body of knowledge was suppressed after the introduction of biomedical model of childbirth which was exported during colonialism.
In this series of webinars, Dr. Mmatshilo Motsei dissects the impact of colonialism on the practice of Indigenous midwifery in South Africa. By facilitating discussions with policy makers, practitioners, scholars, and parents, Dr. Motsei seeks to open space to reflect on key questions that relate to childbirth rituals, the laws governing the disposal of the placenta as well as a review of the policy of registration of babies in relation to certain childbirth taboos. Each online session will include informative presentations followed by sharing of tools and resources related to each topic.
