Long Labours, Sovereign Birth & Māori Tikanga - Aroha & Tihikura’s Stories

In this episode I speak with Aroha and her partner, Tihikura, about the home births of their two children, 5 year old Te Rangimoeke and 4 month old Rangiāniwaniwa. We hear about the challenges of having a long labour, including the influence of other people and their energies within the birth space, as well as a sense of abandonment when labour dragged on.

Within the conversation, a lot of Māori words and practices are shared. I have included many of the words and their definitions in the shownotes, so hopefully you don’t feel too lost with the various elements of the experiences that Aroha and Tihikura describe. It brings such a unique and spiritual approach to the telling of their story and to honouring birth as the rite of passage that it is. 

We cover many moving and important themes, such as the impacts of midwifery interference in birth and the healing that can come through the debriefing process, super supportive postpartum preparations, the influence of children and siblings at births, Māori-based antenatal education, unhelpful expectations and predictions when it comes to birth, and so much more. 

Tikanga - customs, practices

Whare - house

Whenua - placenta and land

Kainga - home

Tamariki - children

Whanaunga - relatives

Tangi - cry and funeral

Hapū - pregnancy

Kōtiro - girl

Harakeke - flax

Mahitahi - working together

Atua - gods and goddesses

Wairua - spirit

Tipuna - ancestors 

Wharepaku - toilet

Tangaroa - god of the sea and fish

Rangatiratanga - chieftainship, self-determination, sovereignty

and on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hapuwananga

Contact Aroha via email: [email protected]

If you're interested in my (Carla's) Soulful Birth online antenatal series, click here for more details: https://www.healingbirth.co.nz/birthprep