Cultural Appropriation

Working within the birth and postnatal world is a constant journey of discovery and learning. I am always keen to learn new things, about pregnancy, about birth, about the postnatal period, about traditions around the world as people traverse these times of change.

We live in an era of globalisation, and the UK is no different. It is very easy for new things from other cultures to become incorporated and normalised into our culture here, with no recognition or knowledge of where it has come from. This is something I am aware of, and am actively resisting. It is really important that I recognise my country’s history of invading and engulfing other cultures, and fight against that continuing. I recognise my privilege as an educated, white, British person, and I try every day to not let that lead to complacency or cultural blindness.

When I learn about a new tradition, a new belief or practice, I make a point to root that information within the culture that it is from. When I refer to that information, I refer to the culture as well, so that that information is not lost along the way.

I do not own the techniques that I have learned (currently Closing The Bones and other rebozo work). I am honoured to have been taught them, and I have deep respect for those that have kept these traditions and passed them down the generations. I take great effort to ensure that the credit for these techniques goes back to the cultures they belong to.

I have checked my supply lines so that when I purchase rebozos I am paying fair prices to local sellers in Central and South America and not to copycats.

I am searching for other ways to give back to the cultures these techniques originate from, and I will update my successes annually, at minimum.