Mother blessings, cultural appropriation and what to do instead

Way back in 2004, feminist members of the Navajo Nation (or Dine as they call themselves) wrote to the editors of the Canadian Women’s Health Network. They requested that the term 'Blessingway' no longer be used to describe non-Navajo prenatal ceremonies.

The article, which is no longer available to read online, stated:

“They explained that the term 'Blessingway' refers to a sacred spiritual ceremony performed by the Navajo people to celebrate rites of passage that occur throughout the entire life cycle, and not only the passage into motherhood. They suggested the term 'Mother Blessing' was a more appropriate term for a ceremony that was influenced, and respectful, of this tradition, but not practiced in accordance with the Navajo faith and culture.”

Despite this request and subsequent conversations over the years, many birth and postpartum professionals with no Navajo heritage still use the term “Blessingway.”

This term “Blessingway,” is sometimes used by non-Navajo people to describe any mother-centred prenatal ceremony that’s organised as an alternative to a baby shower (where the focus is on the baby rather than the mother).

It's good news that mother-centred gatherings are becoming more popular.

But should we, as postpartum and birth professionals, be using the term “Blessingway” for these events?

Let’s explore how this could be problematic.

What is cultural appropriation?

Cultural appropriation is taking something from another culture without understanding its historical context or cultural meaning. Cultural appropriation involves a lack of consent, acknowledgement or payment, and the person doing the taking generally occupies a higher position of power and privilege.

When it comes to these discussions, people often ask, “What’s the problem with  borrowing from other cultures?” Some people even say they identify strongly with another culture. They feel more drawn to traditions that aren’t from their native country.

This is certainly a complex issue. It can be hard to have this conversation, but it’s better to have a crack at it than to remain silent.

It can be tricky to distinguish appropriation from the natural and equitable exchange of knowledge and technologies between cultures. In exploring this issue, we need to centre the voices of those who belong to cultures that are most affected. We might not always get it right, but we can do our best and seek to correct any mistakes we’ve made.

As postpartum and birth professionals, we owe it to our clients to engage with this topic, especially if we belong to cultures that have historically done the appropriating.

Here are some questions we can ask any time we have the urge to borrow a tradition from another culture:

• Does this practice/terminology originate from a culture that has been systematically oppressed?

• Am I providing any remuneration or credit to the originating culture?

• Have I made a reasonable effort to find out if I am permitted to use this practice/terminology by engaging in conversation with elders or seeking to learn from a qualified teacher?

• Has anyone from this culture explicitly stated that my use of this practice/terminology is harmful in some way, regardless of whether I agree with them?

• What is my motive in using this practice/terminology?

• Have I explored any alternative ways of achieving this from within my own cultural tradition?

Honouring expectant mothers with Mother Blessings

Does this mean you can’t have a mother-centric prenatal ceremony? Of course not!

I absolutely love the idea of celebrating the mother with rituals and rites of passage. An alternative to “Blessingway” is “Mother Blessing,” as this term does not have significance to a specific culture or spiritual tradition. Many postpartum and birth professionals now choose to host Mother Blessings for their clients, rather than using the term Blessingway, which refers to a specific sacred ritual of the Dine Navajo people.

At a Mother Blessing, participants are invited to nurture and support the expectant mother as she journeys through pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum. Contemporary Mother Blessings often include elements like:

• Massage or comforting touch

• Sharing of stories and wisdom

• Rituals using items like candles, cords or items from nature

• Journaling, artmaking or reflecting together

• Mindfulness practices

• Feasting on delicious foods

• Promising future support (for example, setting up a postpartum meal train)

Planning a Mother Blessing for your client may also be the perfect opportunity to engage in meaningful research and discussion on cultural appropriation. Be aware of the language you use and to whom it belongs, and consider where certain rituals originate. Talk to the people to whom they belong, respect them, and pay them if appropriate.

Best of all, explore your own ancestry. Prior to the 16th and 17th-century European witch trials and the Industrial Age, women’s wisdom thrived in many cultures around the world, including my own. I’ve spent time in the past few years learning about Welsh baby carriers, English postpartum food, and the Czech word for the postpartum rest period.

You can learn about these traditions in Newborn Mothers: When a Baby is Born, So is a Mother.

Want to learn more about cultural care?

Postpartum Education and Care Professional training includes a module on cultural care, exploring how to provide appropriate cultural care, drawing on your own cultural story creating rites and rituals and universal themes of cultural care. Participate in the worldwide renaissance and reclamation of postpartum knowledge.

The training provides world-leading and evidence-based postnatal education teaching professionals how to provide practical, emotional, and informational support to new families. It is the most comprehensive course for professionals in postpartum care in the world.

Newborn Mothers founder Julia Jones has 15 years of experience in the industry and has trained nearly 2000 postpartum professionals in 60+ countries. The training is developed in collaboration with three other educators each with decades of experience in their focus area of postpartum support.