scholarly journals Rituals and Embodied Cultural Practices at the Beginning of Life: African Perspectives

Religions ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 1024
Author(s):  
Magdalena Ohaja ◽  
Chinemerem Anyim
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Values ◽  
Infant Health ◽  
Cultural Practices ◽  
Cultural Beliefs ◽  
Social Identities ◽  
Empirical Literature ◽  
Pregnancy And Childbirth ◽  
Early Motherhood ◽  
Special Events ◽  
Maternal And Infant Health

Cultural beliefs and practices find expression through rituals. Rites of initiation or passage are some of the most common rituals among the indigenous African societies. Pregnancy and Childbirth are not only biological events, but also socially and culturally constructed with associated symbols that represent the social identities and cultural values of Africans. Birth is a rite of passage, and children are perceived as special gifts from the Supreme Being. As such, pregnancy and childbirth are special events cherished and celebrated through varied rituals. Drawing on empirical literature and relevant commentaries, this paper aims to discuss selected rituals and embodied practices surrounding the start of life (pregnancy, birth, and early motherhood). The paper will specifically focus on the following aspects: pregnancy rituals; birth songs and dancing; the omugwo (care after birth); the cord and placenta rituals; and the naming ceremony. Some of the pregnancy rituals are purificatory in nature and therefore beneficial for maternal and infant health. The celebrations surrounding the birth of a child are community events, marked with singing and dancing. Following childbirth, the new mothers are not expected to participate in house chores to allow them time to recuperate. In all, discourses concerning the beginning of life, i.e., pregnancy and the periods surrounding it, are filled with rituals which are embodiments or expressions of cultural values, customs, and beliefs.

Cultural and traditional food practices in pregnancy and breastfeeding

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sir Peter Gluckman ◽  
Mark Hanson ◽  
Chong Yap Seng ◽  
Anne Bardsley
Keyword(s):  
Infant Health ◽  
Cultural Practices ◽  
Cultural Beliefs ◽  
Beliefs And Practices ◽  
Pregnancy And Childbirth ◽  
Food Practices ◽  
Traditional Health ◽  
Traditional Health Care ◽  
Pregnancy And Lactation ◽  
Optimum Nutrition

Cultural beliefs and practices can markedly influence a woman’s pregnancy and childbirth experiences, and may shape her mothering behaviour. In addition, dietary intake before and during pregnancy and through lactation is often influenced by cultural beliefs and practices. As some traditional health care beliefs and food practices favoured in different cultures appear to result from efforts to address specific environmental challenges, it is important to recognize and respect these beliefs while guiding women towards optimum nutrition and away from harmful practices or prohibitions. This chapter discusses the implications of some common food practices, as well as cultural practices that are specific to pregnancy and lactation, on maternal and infant health.

scholarly journals Maternal and Infant Health in Abu Dhabi: Insights from Key Informant Interviews

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (17) ◽  
pp. 3053 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hazel Gardner ◽  
Katherine Green ◽  
Andrew Gardner ◽  
Donna Geddes
Keyword(s):  
Infant Health ◽  
Health Knowledge ◽  
Rapid Development ◽  
Cultural Beliefs ◽  
Local Population ◽  
Abu Dhabi ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Maternal And Infant Health ◽  
Key Informant

Consequent upon rapid development in Abu Dhabi, there has been a rise in chronic disease, the susceptibilities to which are influenced by events occurring in early life. Hence, maternal and infant health are key areas in public health policy. Following a study of maternal and infant health in a cohort of mothers in Abu Dhabi between 2002 and 2004, seven key informant interviews were undertaken to elucidate the study findings through the impressions of Emirati women in positions within the healthcare area—including ministries, hospitals, and universities in Abu Dhabi. Semi-structured interviews were based on five key questions that covered the cultural responsiveness of the maternal health services—breastfeeding, health education, and physical and recreational activity. The responses were analysed using a thematic content technique and indicated that the status of women, cultural beliefs and practices, limited health knowledge, and language differences between the local population, healthcare providers, and health promoting materials were important themes. The study highlighted areas for future research and policy, including the communication gaps between healthcare professionals and women, the influences of advertising and the media on health issues, heath education, and ways to increase women’s participation in physical exercise. It is vital to consider non-medical determinants of health alongside biomedical determinants, to help develop culturally appropriate health strategies for this population.

scholarly journals Factors Contributing to the Late Commencement of Antenatal Care at a Rural District Hospital in Lesotho

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 32
Author(s):  
Thandiwe Marethabile Letsie ◽  
Matjeko Lenka
Keyword(s):  
Antenatal Care ◽  
Infant Health ◽  
Cultural Beliefs ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Maternal And Infant Health ◽  
Maternal And Neonatal Outcomes ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
Antenatal Services

Antenatal care (ANC) is a key approach aimed at improving maternal and infant health. Numerous factors are associated with late commencement of antenatal care. Sub-Saharan Africa countries are exception to the problem of late commencement of antenatal care. The qualitative, explorative, descriptive and contextual approach was followed. The pregnant women meeting the inclusion criteria, were above 16 weeks and attended antenatal care at the time of the study. Different authorities granted permission to conduct face-to-face, unstructured in-depth interviews. Tesch approach enabled the qualitative researchers to immerse themselves through systematic organization and synthesis of data to create manageable units. an independent co-coder also analyzed data independently. Afterwards, they met and agreed on specific themes and sub-categories. The following five themes emerged; personal and family factors, cultural beliefs and practices, health systems and poor infrastructure. Measures aimed at improving accessibility to the health centers include; road infrastructure, telecommunication and more client centered services. Improvement of early commencement of antenatal services becomes an ideal approach influencing excellent maternal and neonatal outcomes. Therefore, government initiatives aimed at empowering communities on the benefits of commencing antenatal care on time is necessary.

scholarly journals Cultural Practices and Infant Mortality in Cross River State, Nigeria: A Sociological Perspective

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 211-220
Author(s):  
Veronica Akwenabuaye Undelikwo ◽  
Ebingha Erena Enang
Keyword(s):  
Infant Mortality ◽  
Cultural Values ◽  
Cultural Practices ◽  
Cultural Beliefs ◽  
Relevant Literature ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Orthodox Medicine ◽  
Beliefs And Practices ◽  
The People ◽  
The Government

Abstract One of the greatest challenges confronting the government in Nigeria today is the need to reduce infant and child morbidity and mortality in order to achieve the sustainable development goal 2030. Infant mortality is generally used to describe the death of infants or babies that were born alive but died before their first birthday. There is generally marked inequality in infant death between developed and developing nations but also within them. Culture has been found to influence the health of the people especially in developing countries where majority of the people are traditionally oriented and superstitious. Several cultural values, beliefs and practices have considerable influence on the health behaviour of Nigerians, which has been adopted by pregnant women, and carried over to their children resulting in infant mortality. These cultural beliefs and practices are some of the major reasons for the low patronage of antenatal health care and orthodox medicine. People have remained bound to cultural beliefs and values. People tend to view events of diseases and deaths from the cultural and supernatural perspective, thereby causing mothers to stick to traditional and cultural practices in health matters. The paper is purely theoretical and relied heavily on secondary data and relevant literature on the issue under consideration. The paper calls for adequate awareness and enlightenment especially in areas where cultural practices are very ingrained and where infant mortality is high due to these practices.

scholarly journals Intangible cultural heritage: a benefit to climate-displaced and host communities

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gül Aktürk ◽  
Martha Lerski
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Heritage ◽  
Cultural Values ◽  
Climate Adaptation ◽  
Cultural Practices ◽  
Action Planning ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Living Environment ◽  
Intangible Cultural Heritage ◽  
Intangible Heritage ◽  
Resilient Communities

AbstractClimate change is borderless, and its impacts are not shared equally by all communities. It causes an imbalance between people by creating a more desirable living environment for some societies while erasing settlements and shelters of some others. Due to floods, sea level rise, destructive storms, drought, and slow-onset factors such as salinization of water and soil, people lose their lands, homes, and natural resources. Catastrophic events force people to move voluntarily or involuntarily. The relocation of communities is a debatable climate adaptation measure which requires utmost care with human rights, ethics, and psychological well-being of individuals upon the issues of discrimination, conflict, and security. As the number of climate-displaced populations grows, the generations-deep connection to their rituals, customs, and ancestral ties with the land, cultural practices, and intangible cultural heritage become endangered. However, intangible heritage is often overlooked in the context of climate displacement. This paper presents reflections based on observations regarding the intangible heritage of voluntarily displaced communities. It begins by examining intangible heritage under the threat of climate displacement, with place-based examples. It then reveals intangible heritage as a catalyst to building resilient communities by advocating for the cultural values of indigenous and all people in climate action planning. It concludes the discussion by presenting the implications of climate displacement in existing intangible heritage initiatives. This article seeks to contribute to the emerging policies of preserving intangible heritage in the context of climate displacement.

China's law on maternal and infant health

The Lancet ◽  
1995 ◽  
Vol 345 (8963) ◽  
pp. 1497-1498 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vera Rich
Keyword(s):  
Infant Health ◽  
Maternal And Infant Health
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