Traditions Of The World About Birth
Despite being a universal fact, birth is experienced in a unique way in the different cultures of the world, through their customs and rituals. In this article we show you a series of world traditions about birth.
World Traditions of Birth: Orient
In Japan there are numerous traditions and cultural practices around motherhood and birth. One of the most common is that the new mother stays for three weeks after giving birth in her parents’ home. This custom arises from the belief that the birth of the baby does not end with the delivery.
On the other hand, one of the most peculiar Japanese customs is Setsubun no Nakizumo , which is celebrated during the spring solstice. As the professor of Japanese culture, literature and history Herbert Plutschow explains, in this celebration, babies, held by sumo wrestlers, are placed in front of each other until they burst into tears.
For the Japanese, crying has divinatory qualities, hence this ritual has taken the name of Nakizumo , which literally means ‘high crybaby’.
In China, the Manyue takes place , a party dedicated to the celebration of the baby’s birth in which guests bring gifts for the newborn. Unlike the classic Western Baby Shower , the Manyue is celebrated after the birth.
In some Arab countries such as Pakistan celebrated the Aquiqah , cultural and religious custom dedicated to the birth and whose purpose is to name the baby. This celebration takes place seven days after birth, during which the baby’s head is shaved and an animal sacrifice is offered.
African tribes
In the Dagara tribe of Burkina Faso, there is a tradition called The Ritual of Listening. As explained by Sonbofu Somé, a native of this tribe, the purpose of this ritual is to listen to the baby to know him and, based on this, they are given a name. For this tribe, the names are energy, that is, they consider it to be a life force that serves as a guide.
For its part, as reported by Damiola Dimeji-Ajayi, Omugwo is practiced in Nigeria , a traditional custom focused on postpartum care. Damiola explains that during the Omugwo it is the responsibility of the grandmother, maternal or paternal, to promote postpartum care for the mother and baby.
World Traditions of Birth: The West
Wetting the baby’s head is a popular tradition around the birth that is celebrated in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, which, according to Victoria Williams, consists of a version very similar to the well-known Baby Shower , but performed by the fathers instead of mothers.
The tradition is that the father meets with his male friends and relatives to mark the birth, drinking one or more alcoholic beverages.
By contrast, in the Netherlands, although it is now more popular, home births have a long historical and cultural trajectory. In addition, at present, in this country, 20% of women give birth at home, not only because it is a very popular issue, but also because of the multiple aid from government agencies.
To conclude, we can say that culture shapes and configures our way of being in the world and, through different traditions and customs, multiple ways of experiencing birth emerge , a universal life experience.
