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So a few days ago was the funniest language study day yet . . . I (Elissa) was asking my teacher about the cultural practices surrounding birth in Indonesia. (If you get grossed out by birthing stuff, read no further) Little known fact is that here an important practice when losing something from your body is having it offered back to you for safe keeping. In the case of birth, this means the placenta. (sorry no pix this time)
Now, my teacher explained that often people bury the placenta in a pot in the ground near their home. They also usually put a little lamp or candle on top that must stay lit for 40 days to keep evil spirits away. His neighbor in front of him had just given birth & the burial site was in front of her home. My teacher looked out his window one afternoon & saw his 4 yr old sitting down cross-legged on top of the burial site facing the candle . . . singing “Happy Birthday to you . . . “ & then blew the candle out! He quickly ran outside mortified, grabbed her & reignited the candle. He said “Whoa, thankfully to this day nobody knows . . . “
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2 comments:
Are you adopting this practice one day? If so you should definitely post the video :) Hope you are doing well, love hearing all your stories!
Sarah
That's so interesting. I heard that in Bali they sometimes keep the placenta attached until the umbilical cord falls off on its own accord. I thought that was a bit gross and the midwife telling me said 'well they treat the placenta with herbs of course" as though that would make it better. :-)
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