This study interprets the meaning of traditional childbirth and care in the context of Jeju's traditional cultural value. Data in the study contain traditional childbirth and care from pre-birth to pre-kindergarten children in Jeju through interviews ...
This study interprets the meaning of traditional childbirth and care in the context of Jeju's traditional cultural value. Data in the study contain traditional childbirth and care from pre-birth to pre-kindergarten children in Jeju through interviews with elder women.
Interviewees are 134 elder women over 60 who were born, and had had the experiences of parturition and nurturing in Jeju. Semi-standardized individual interviews were made to these women asking their experiences of childbirth and care. These interview materials were, first demographically quantified and analyzed in the seven areas-a view of child, prenatal care, new-born baby caring, main breeder, infant and toddler caring, Simbang(shaman), and incantatory prescription.
The study reveals the following characteristics of traditional cultural childbirth and care in Jeju:
First, traditional customs of childbirth and care in Jeju are labor-oriented self-reliance culture.
Second, traditional customs of childbirth and care in Jeju are community-oriented culture with the participation of the whole family and local people.
Third, traditional customs of childbirth and care in Jeju are psycho-therapeutic culture utilizing Simbang and incantation.