According to WHO, approximately 0.9% of births are home-delivered, of which one in five is unplanned or unattended. Looking back at the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, one of the greatest takeaways has been the resurgence of welcoming our children into the world from the comfort of our homes. Awareness surrounding doula work/midwifery has blossomed as a result. Holistic healing practices, inclusive pregnancy experiences, and the postpartum period have also gained considerable attention.

 

Organic chef and healer Gogo Nonhlanhla Godole realized her vision of bringing like-minded spirits together at her lovely farmhouse in Libro Park to host Emandulo: The Birthing Story. This epic event was conceptualized under the premise of pulling eyes and ears toward doula work. The aim was also to facilitate various forms of mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual healing; and to reconnect contemporary Africans to ancient traditions in need of preservation.

 

Ubuntu was abundant as the intimate community gathered to share indigenous wisdom. From womb yoga meditation to holistic lightworkers exchanging their birth experiences on labour and postpartum trauma, the tea made rounds with love and laughter.

 

Highlights from The Event:

 

• Womb Yoga & Meditation: Nkuli
• Guest Speaker: Nonkululeko Shiburi (Umzanyana Birth founder)
• Round table healing conversation

 

 

Stalls by:

• Herbs by Nomfundo (impepho bath salt, flowers, impepho oil)
• Nkuli Womb Yoga @ freedom to flow
• Talk 2 Nature @Zuki Links
• Shea Butter @Chima organics
• Thato @Onthatile industries

 

 

Foods made by Gogo Noni: 

• Dhal and dates curry with imbuya
• A side salad of pomegranate millet
• Sorghum umqombothi and steamed bread

 

Reflecting on Emandulo, Gogo Noni shared:

“Emandulo is a vision gifted to me and those that share my circle by the universe that heard me saying: “Someday, I want to deliver my own baby and help mothers bring their babies into the world just as my great grandmother did, with many other elderly women from the village, a fire, and blessed hands. Emandulo is here to bring back lost indigenous knowledge systems on birthing and traditional midwives. Our gathering is bringing wellness before, during, and after conception for both mother and father. We do this by tapping into our infinite fountain of wisdom in our DNA and connecting with those who came before us to lead us in the present. The first offering was that and more; meeting black doulas and receiving  knowledge firsthand was an offering only meant for the gods, which is the reason for our second offering.”

 

An African proverb says: “It takes a village to raise a child,” and I opine that it should extend to the same village, being part of the sacred birthing experience as a whole. It is worth mentioning that the said village doesn’t necessarily apply to the context of people in our neighbourhood.

 

The pleasure of being surrounded by people who endorse your decisions and hold space for one’s physical, emotional, pregnancy, labour, and postpartum support was a luxury. A luxury we received from our grandmothers, aunts, sisters, and cousins before being consumed by the modern world that fools mothers into believing they are all alone in their journey.

 

Images courtesy of Cherry Lopez