First childbirth ritual in Palau

Members of her husbands family dance for a young mother and present her with gifts when she emerges and shows hereself at the end of her first childbirth ritual. Palau, Micronesia, in February, 2005. For five days prior to this coming-out ceremony, the young mother has twice daily been given hot cleansing baths by a medicine woman. Every Palauan woman goes through a first childbirth ritual, a ngasech, two to three months after giving birth for the first time. The grass skirt which this woman is wearing is made of wool.

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Copyright: Copyright © 2005 Anders Ryman. All rights reserved.
Image Size: 5565x3704 / 14.7MB; Bananas Dancing First Childbirth Horizontal Life Cycle Ritual Medium Group of People Micronesia Oceania Outdoors Pacific islands Palau Rite of Passage South Pacific ceremony childbirth ethnic clothing ethnic dress family first child birth mother ngasech pregnancy rite ritual
Contained in galleries: Childbirth ceremony, Palau

Members of her husbands family dance for a young mother and present her with gifts when she emerges and shows hereself at the end of her first childbirth ritual. Palau, Micronesia, in February, 2005. For five days prior to this coming-out ceremony, the young mother has twice daily been given hot cleansing baths by a medicine woman. Every Palauan woman goes through a first childbirth ritual, a ngasech, two to three months after giving birth for the first time. The grass skirt which this woman is wearing is made of wool.