Episode 4 - Babies, Birth & Child Spacing
Mayin’gina Joao is pregnant. Her husband, Sergio Alberto, plans to take her to the hospital when she is ready to give birth.
But, the hospital is not the only option that he considers for health-related decisions. He might purchase medicines from an ambulatory vendor, consult with a medic practicing Chinese medicine, or visit an herbalist. After the baby is born, Sergio also places a medicated string around the child’s waist for protection, and abstains from sexual relations with his wife to avoid maladies unknown to biomedicine called lwaso and cinyela.
In Ciyawo with English subtitles.
Viewing Guide
Student Viewing Guide prepared by Arianna Huhn, California State University San Bernardino. Email: ahuhn@csusb.edu
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Mayingina Joao is pregnant. Her husband, Sergio Alberto, plans to take her to the hospital when she is ready to give birth. But, the hospital is not the only option that he considers for health-related decisions. He might purchase medicines from an ambulatory vendor, consult with a medic practicing Chinese medicine, or visit an herbalist. After the baby is born, Sergio also places a medicated string around the child’s waist for protection, and abstains from sexual relations with his wife to avoid maladies unknown to biomedicine called lwaso and cinyela.
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Ambulatory Vendor
Chinese Medicine
Vernacular Illness
Child Spacing
Critical Thinking Questions
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We’re working on it…
Debate:
Are there things you do to maintain or improve your health?
Contextual Notes
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More coming soon…
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More coming soon…
Digging Deeper: Questions to spark further discussion about the film
Why is the seamless combination of biomedical and vernacular medicine so confounding to many viewers of this film from outside of the region?
Is it surprising that Sergio cannot explain why he uses the medicated string?
Did you notice that when the baby is older, being weighed, he is wearing a string around his waist while during the newborn interview Sergio points out that they are only using a string around his neck? What might explain this change?