tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7294192603725858081.post3389356093721935469..comments2024-02-24T09:11:04.211+00:00Comments on Pregnancy and childbirth <br>around the world: #7 Shameful pregnancyJanethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18288117874782691683noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7294192603725858081.post-48819484680750660482013-03-04T10:57:22.363+00:002013-03-04T10:57:22.363+00:00As you mention the seclusion of Hausa girls from a...As you mention the seclusion of Hausa girls from any sexual references in their growing up (with the strong focus on modesty) and their arranged marriage: I wonder to what extent the isolation of these women from their first-born children may not be an actual relief. Caring for a new-born when the entire sexuality-cum-conception-cum-pregnancy issue is a experience you have never been prepared for, and coping with the resulting trauma, can simply be too much and would burden the mother-child relationship, too. Aunts or other female relatives can be just as loving as mothers and, with considerably less aversion (in this case by a traumatized mother) involved, can care for a firstborn quite adequately. The mother may not want to ever refer to this first child again and may be quite relieved to be rid of a responsibility of care towards it. In turn, at some point, she may assume maternal responsibility as aunt herself - then dissociated from the trauma of childbirth - and thus have her own share of child-raising. Strange maybe, to Westerners, but I see quite an inherent logic at work here that you seem to disregard. In short, I see little reason for the heart-break.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7294192603725858081.post-69122253221293155412011-11-30T11:15:43.591+00:002011-11-30T11:15:43.591+00:00Thanks for your input Soph.
I mention religion to...Thanks for your input Soph.<br /><br />I mention religion to give context to the different cultural groups. Like me, I expect most people won't have heard of the Hausa before, and their religion is one bit of interesting background information. I do not mean to imply that their pregnancy practices are necessarily due to their religous beliefs. You are right that they have many other influences. <br /><br />You seem to know quite a lot about Hausa, what is your interest?Janethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18288117874782691683noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7294192603725858081.post-72371086060022562222011-11-23T17:13:43.575+00:002011-11-23T17:13:43.575+00:00I don't see how it is accurate or appropriate ...I don't see how it is accurate or appropriate to mention the Hausa as being a 'fundamentalist Islamic society' and linking their cultural beliefs to this; there is nothing in Islam that encourages hiding pregnancy and from the Islamic texts it is clear this is not a tradition that originated amongst the early Muslims; nor did the Prophet Muhammed or the Qur'an advise this. While the Hausa are mainly Muslim, not all of them are and they converted to Islam in relatively modern times compared to many other societies so they still have many pre-Islamic cultural beliefs-that are most likely shared by other religions living in the area as well. Similarly with the Turkish custom mentioned; there has been heavy influence of ancient greek, Turkic (i.e. Mongolian) and even Zoroastrian culture on many Turkish peoples.Sophnoreply@blogger.com