Making traditional modern : a phenomenological study of traditional confinement practices among urban Malay mothers

Syed Hussien, Sh Fatimah Alzahrah (2018) Making traditional modern : a phenomenological study of traditional confinement practices among urban Malay mothers. In: International Conference on Language, Culture & Society (ICLCS) 2018: Asia and Beyond, 24th-25th October 2018, Kuala Lumpur. (Unpublished)

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Abstract

Malay mothers’ postpartum experiences often include a period of confinement, similar to other Asian parallel practices of “doing the month”. This confinement period comprised of a set of beliefs, rules, and practices based on traditional eastern medicinal knowledge. Cultural practices of postpartum confinement, or berpantang, among urban mothers in Malaysia is evolving to compete with modern western medicine and technological advancement in the contemporary setting. The data for this presentation is based on twelve open-ended interviews of couples and two focus group discussions with mothers on their experience of berpantang. Even though it is still widely performed, the elements within berpantang are handpicked by these mothers and some of these elements have been repackaged to appeal to contemporary culture. According to these mothers, the traditional practices are thought to be inadequate when compared to the authority of western medicine. In events where medical practitioners give opposing advice, all mothers chose to adhere to, and accept modern medicine’s explanations and justifications over the traditional practice. The former cultural figure head, the bidan (midwife), is no longer a part of the birthing process within these urban settings. Urban mothers in the study rely on or refer to their maternal mothers for knowledge and guidance on berpantang. Urban mothers who practise berpantang describe the main reason for their practise was to maintain familial peace. I propose that the practise of berpantang is slowly losing its authority due to the lack of continuity in the chain of traditional knowledge and the hegemonic nature of modern medicine. Many of its features have also been packaged to fit the capitalistic nature of today’s world.

Item Type:	Conference or Workshop Item (Poster)
Additional Information:	8444/68531
Uncontrolled Keywords:	traditional confinement practices, urban Malay mothers
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HM Sociology H Social Sciences > HQ The family. Marriage. Woman
Kulliyyahs/Centres/Divisions/Institutes (Can select more than one option. Press CONTROL button):	Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences > Department of Sociology & Anthropology
Depositing User:	Dr Sh Fatimah AlZahrah Syed Hussien
Date Deposited:	03 May 2019 15:47
Last Modified:	03 May 2019 18:03
URI:	http://irep.iium.edu.my/id/eprint/68531

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