Photo Essay: A Baby is Born – Customs in a Rural Muslim Community in Indonesia
Compiled by Malik Merchant, Editor
Customs of welcoming a new baby vary around the world. This photo essay looks at the cultural traditions around birth in a rural community in Indonesia (pink shade, map below), the world’s largest Muslim country with a population of 204,847,000 or 12.7% of the world’s Muslim population of 1.6 billion.
Map credit: United Nations.
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POST NATAL CARE
Watched by other family members, the newborn baby is weighed in a suspended sling by a traditional birthing attendant. Photo Credit: N. Durrell McKenna, Wellcome Images.
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THE PLACENTA
For centuries the placenta has received ceremonial handling by many cultures around the world. Revered for its symbolism of life, spirit and individuality, it is often buried outside. In Indonesia, the placenta is seen as the baby’s twin or elder sibling and is perceived as the baby’s guardian throughout life. [1] In Turkey, the placenta, which is known as the friend or comrade of the baby, is wrapped in a clean cloth and buried. The cord, however, may be buried in the courtyard of a mosque, if the parents wish their child to be devout in later life. [2]
The new father holding a shading umbrella walks with the birthing attendant, who carries a bowl containing the placenta, towards its burying-ground. Photo Credit: N. Durrell McKenna, Wellcome Images.
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Burying the placenta. A young father shades the traditional birthing attendant whilst she places the wrapped placenta of his newborn baby into its ceremonial burial hole. Photo Credit: N. Durrell McKenna, Wellcome Images
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THREE GENERATIONS – CARER, PARENTS AND BABY
Study of the old, but very gentle, hands of the traditional birthing attendant. Photo Credit: N. Durrell McKenna, Wellcome Images.
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Traditional birth attendant sitting and holding a freshly washed and swaddled new baby girl, back-lit from a window. Photo Credit: N. Durrell McKenna, Wellcome Images.
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A study of a traditional birthing attendant, a young mother and a new-born baby at an open window. Photo Credit: N. Durrell McKenna, Wellcome Images.
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The neatly dressed traditional birthing attendant looks down at the wrapped baby she holds .Photo Credit: N. Durrell McKenna, Wellcome Images.
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Outdoor study of a traditional birthing attendant looking solemnly at the newborn baby in her arms. Photo Credit: N. Durrell McKenna, Wellcome Images.
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Outdoor picture of parents and the traditional birthing attendant, each happily touching the new baby. Photo Credit: N. Durrell McKenna, Wellcome Images.
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BLESSINGS FOR THE NEW BORN
Blessing the child’s life – the birth of a newborn baby is celebrated with readings from the Qur’an. Photo Credit: N. Durrell McKenna, Wellcome Images.
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Blessing the child – a Muslim elder places some hard setting substance on a young baby’s head to ensure its good health and wisdom. The substance gradually wears away. Photo Credit: N. Durrell McKenna, Wellcome Images.
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Blessing a newborn child – baby’s head showing hard setting substance placed on top of head by the Muslim elder to ensure good health and wisdom. Photo Credit: N. Durrell McKenna, Wellcome Images.
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CARE FOR BABY AND MOTHER
Talcum powder is applied to the dressed and swaddled baby girl, prior to facial massage. Photo Credit: N. Durrell McKenna, Wellcome Images.
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Close view of the traditional birthing attendant’s hands as she gently massages the face and head of the baby girl. Photo Credit: N. Durrell McKenna, Wellcome Images.
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A traditional birthing attendant gently massages the thighs of the young mother whose new baby lies next to her on the bed. Photo Credit: N. Durrell McKenna, Wellcome Images.
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SLEEPING TRADITION – NINE GOWNS – AND WRAPPING
The wrapped baby lying on nine gowns, one for each month since its conception. Photo Credit: N. Durrell McKenna, Wellcome Images.
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The new baby now washed and powdered is wrapped completely in a colourful cloth bag. Photo Credit: N. Durrell McKenna, Wellcome Images.
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Close view of the new-born baby, washed and powdered and wrapped in a cosy bag/garment. Photo Credit: N. Durrell McKenna, Wellcome Images.
Date posted: Sunday, March 31, 2013.
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References and credits:
[2] Placenta rituals and folklore.
All images, excepting the map (top image), are from the website of The Wellcome Trust, a UK-based charity funding institution for research to improve human and animal health by supporting the brightest minds in biomedical research and the medical humanities. In addition to funding biomedical research, it supports the public understanding of science. In the field of medical research, it is the world’s second largest private funder after Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Please visit their website by clicking http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/.
Map: United Nations Country Profile – Indonesia
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Wow!!! Fascinating. What a difference from being born in a hospital with all the mod cons at one’s side. Being one of those babies who was born at home, it makes one wonder whether the old ways are better than the new ones.
Very educative peep into the traditions of different countries; especially the traditions of the rituals of birth which is so sacred in sanctifying life in Islam.
This is excellent.
This posting is a keen study of ‘Rites of Passage’ used in the discipline of Social Anthropology. Thank you Editor!