Lifecourse: Birthing, Living, Dying

Around the world, people have different ways of birthing, living and dying. As human beings, although we all go through same stages of life, depending on the culture, there are various ways of celebrating it. Culture plays a significant role when it comes to celebrating milestones and events of life. People in Latin America and Asia both go through birth, life and death rituals. Though each culture has their own special way of acknowledging these milestones, they all have a common goal of celebrating.

The process of birthing is a major aspect of many cultures. No matter where in the world you are, you will find that the process of birthing is a critical part of culture there. Even before the mother goes into labor, there are specific rules for them to follow. For example, the Udmurts, a native Swedish group, believes that if the mother approaches the body of the deceased, the baby would be negatively affected. Most mothers are put on very strict diets during their pregnancy. In the Roma culture, the pregnant mother is kept away from all the others in the group. They do not want her to get the illnesses that all of the others in the group are undergoing. They also keep her away from the others because they don’t want her dirtying the items of the other people in the group. Some cultures even forbid the mother to tell of her pregnancy. In the Orkney custom, the mother is not to tell of her pregnancy out loud. If she does, it is said that fairies would find out about the case and try to do harm to the mother and the child.

During the actual process of birthing, there are also several different rituals. In some cultures, the father stands guard outside the birthing hut. He is to make sure no one enters but the village authorities. He spends most of his time praying for a healthy outcome for both the mother and baby. In other cultures, the father is ore involved. The father actually delivers the baby himself in these cultures. In other areas, there are more attendants at birth. In Mexico, Netherlands and Sweden, midwives are the main attendants at birth. The midwives also comfort the mother postpartum. In the United States, midwives are replaced by the doctors. The doctors have all the utilities at their disposal to help make the labor as quick as possible. Some cultures forbid the father from even being near the birthing hut. The fathers play a large part in the early life of baby. The mother is always extremely weak after the first few weeks after childbirth.

After the birthing process is over, the mothers need extensive care. They are unable to do much in the few days following labor. Therefore, women in Zaire are secluded from the baby for up to three days. In other cultures, the parents are given time to recuperate. This also gives them time to prepare for their new responsibilities as parents. Babies in non-Western cultures rarely cry. Most of their demands are met very early on and are taken care of before they cry. They have several overseers waiting to serve their every demand. This means that they need to only whimper to receive what they want. Some mothers even go home to their parents after childbirth. This allows the grandmother to help raise the child and give the parents some breaks. The mother is often massaged with special healing oils to make her relax. Another way to relax new mothers is found in Malaysia. There, the mother is kept near a warm, steady father. This process is called roasting by the Malay people. Also the diets of the mothers’ postpartum ensure that she is going to get back to full strength as fast as possible.

In some more modern parts of the world, ritualistic ways are sacrificed for the safety of the baby. In most of the United States, women prefer to give birth in hospitals opposed to their homes. The main reason for this is the safety that the hospital brings. When in the hospital, doctors take care of every detail. Most cultures use midwives for the birth of the baby. Midwives do not have all the tools used by doctors in the hospitals. Thus, giving birth in a hospital is preferred for the better health of the baby and mother.

Living in the Unites States, we are exposed to different kinds of family structures, cultures, and traditions. This is nothing compared to the hundreds of cultures in the world. There are approximately 195 countries in the world. Almost each country has it own set of family life, rites of passage, and cultural heritage. One of the most interesting groups of people is the Pashtun, who are mostly located in southeastern Afghanistan or northwestern Pakistan. The Pashtun has several interesting rites of passage. Pashtun are Muslims which is why they follow the Islamic procedures after a child is born. When a baby is born into a Pashtun family, the Imaam (priest) recites the call for prayer into the baby’s ear. When boys are born, they are circumcised usually within the first or second week after birth. Pashtun boys and girls start to pray and fast when they reach puberty. In a Pashtun family, the eldest male is in charge of the family. A regular Pashtun family has the husband, wife, and their children. When the sons grow up and get married, they do not move out of the home, but instead they live at the father’s house with their wives and families. When the daughters marry, they move in with their husband’s family and devote their time to that family. Pashtun families are very close. The wealthy people always help those that are less fortunate. When the children grow up, they care for their elderly parents. They also share the cost of living and raising children. In the Pashtun culture, choral singing is a big custom. They sing special folk songs at weddings and funerals. They also recite poems called “metal” and perform folk dances called “atan”. Overall, the Pashtun culture is very interesting and unique.

Another interesting culture is that of the Australian Aborigines who live in mainland Australia and Tasmania. In Aboriginal societies, boys and girls participate in a lot of rituals from childhood to adulthood. Death rituals in the Aboriginal society are very intricate. After a man passes away, his wife is isolated from the society for two years. She is sent to what is known as widow’s camp. For as long as she is in that camp, she can only communicate through sign language. She is not allowed to speak to anyone during this period of two years. If for some reason a woman chooses not to follow this ritual, it is said that her husband’s ghost will take away her soul and she would also die. Most Aboriginal people were nomads which is why they did not have any materials things with them. One of the known objects among, Aboriginal societies is the “dijeridoo”, which is a musical instrument, made with a piece of wood

...