Indigenous Healing Knowledge and Infertility in Indonesia: Learning about Cultural Safety from Sasak Midwives

Medical Anthropology
Linda Rae Bennett

Abstract

In this article I demonstrate what can be learned from the indigenous healing knowledge and practices of traditional Sasak midwives on Lombok island in eastern Indonesia. I focus on the treatment of infertility, contrasting the differential experiences of Sasak women when they consult traditional midwives and biomedical doctors. Women's and midwives' perspectives provide critical insight into how cultural safety is both constituted and compromised in the context of reproductive health care. Core components of cultural safety embedded in the practices of traditional midwives include the treatment of women as embodied subjects rather than objectified bodies, and privileging physical contact as a healing modality. Cultural safety also encompasses respect for women's privacy and bodily dignity, as well as two-way and narrative communication styles. Local understandings of cultural safety have great potential to improve the routine practices of doctors, particularly in relation to doctor-patient communication and protocols for conducting pelvic exams.

References

Sep 28, 2002·BMJ : British Medical Journal·Peter Maguire, Carolyn Pitceathly
Jul 20, 2007·The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews·L M SibleyN Habarta
Jul 27, 2010·Advances in Health Sciences Education : Theory and Practice·Mora ClaramitaCees Van der Vleuten
Feb 9, 2012·Advances in Health Sciences Education : Theory and Practice·Mora ClaramitaCees van der Vleuten

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Citations

Dec 20, 2017·Medical Anthropology·Linda Rae Bennett, Bregje de Kok
May 3, 2019·Medical Anthropology·Priscilla Magrath

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Methods Mentioned

BETA
contraception

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