"It has been scientifically proven that the unborn child is influenced by all its mother’s actions, from the moment of entry into the womb; in this respect, a system of beliefs applies to all those parts of Turkey where traditions still prevail.
This system of beliefs leads pregnant woman to avoid certain forms of behavior or to engage in others.
Some forms of behavior that the pregnant woman is expected to avoid during her pregnancy are:
- Not looking at bears, monkeys, and camels,
- Not eating fish, rabbit, trotters or sheep’s’ heads, and not chewing gum,
- Not attend funerals or looking at the deceased,
- Not secretly taking and eating anything."
"In the more traditional parts of Anatolia, women used to give birth at home in their villages with the help of midwives, and the majority of practices carried out during childbirth were believed to make the whole process easier. Some of these practices were;
- Unfastening the woman’s hair,
- Opening locked doors, chests and windows,
- Feeding birds,
- A woman who had earlier had an easy labor would rub the back of the pregnant woman,
- Shooting in the air,
- Putting the woman on someone’s back and shaking her,
- Making the woman jump down from a high place,
- Making the woman lie down on a piece of cloth and rocking her.
Nowadays, childbirth takes place in hospitals, and licensed midwives help pregnant women to give birth in remote, mountainous villages."
Through this research, I have found that these people along with the children will follow these traditions because it was the way used when they were born. When I had my child, there were really no traditions I followed. I read somewhere about the India people, they refused to show pain, if they did, they were looked down upon. I feel totally opposite here in the United States luckily we have the epidural, which is absolutly amazing and saves lots of pain! I don't think they use this in many other countries. The people take the pain because that is how their culture does, it is a tradition. These Turkish also have certain places to put the umbilical cord if they want their child to be a certain way.. Here's an example: Umbilical cord is buried in a stable. (For the child to be an animal lover). I have no idea what they did with our child's umbilical cord.
http://www.turkishculture.org/lifestyles/ceremonies/birth/birth-traditions-216.htm?type=1
http://www.turkishculture.org/lifestyles/ceremonies/birth/birth-traditions-216.htm?type=1
Hello Shanda:
ReplyDeleteThe child birth in Turkey is similar to my country's child birthing practices, specially in the villages. Avoiding funerals, looking at monkeys or "ugly" things, eating raw meat, which is part of the cultural menu.
The one thing that I can closely relate to is the umbilical cord. In my culture we don't discard it because it is believed that if you throw away the umbilical cord in the trash, the baby will turn out to be an unemployed, "good for nothing" adult.
However, as a person born and raised in the Middle East, I do not believe nor practice this ritual. After my children were born and when their umbilical cord dried and dis-attached from their body I placed it in the trash, and 23 years later, I'm proud to say my son is attending university to earn his bachelor degree in criminal justice.
Cultural rituals/beliefs some believe in it ans some don't ! And our ethical responsibility is to practice cultural awareness/sensitivity and respect to the cultural values/beliefs of the children/families we teach and serve.
Marijan K.