The aims of ‘Wild Born’ project
The purpose of this research is to explore the socio-cultural, ecological and economic aspects that influence practices surrounding pregnancy and childbirth amongst tribal women around the world.
Questions supporting the socio-cultural aims:
- What are the powers of animistic belief system, taboos, rituals and wisdom of ancestors that influence and shape the birthing process from the preparation for birth through the childbirth itself to the care of the child and the mother after the birth?
- Exploring the wisdom and traditional knowledge of midwives, and how it is passed on through generation?
- Some Western perspectives that embrace the hospitalization during birth have highly influenced perceptions of what is right and wrong regarding tribal women’s child-birth practices, but are these practices as backwards and dangerous as Western society leads us to believe?
- Traditional versus non traditional, what are the similarities and differences in pregnancy and childbirth practices?
- Can traditional and non-traditional practices work together to help reduce birth complications without harming traditional values?
Questions supporting the ecological aims:
- How tribal woman relate to their lands and how they enact ecological knowledge during their pregnancy and childbirth processes?
- How does nomadic lifestyle in extreme environment influence how pregnancy and childbirth are carried?
- How are the land, its minerals, plants and animals used in the women’s lives surrounding childbearing, such as in the ceremonies, pain management, and nutrition?
- What is the meaning of their ancient land, the centuries-old migration routes and cyclical rhythms of the environment for the process of conception, pregnancy and childbirth?
Questions supporting the economic aims:
How are global economy and development changing and effecting childbirth practices of tribal women?