Childbirth in Maghreb Communities: Chosen Female Body Practices. An Attempt at Characterisation

Abstract:This article discusses selected customs and rituals related to the woman’s body in traditional childbirth and postpartum in the Maghreb. It does not focus on geographical area but instead presents a general overview of some cultural practices. In traditional societies, childbirth is not just an individual matter for a woman and her closest family but also for a whole community. This particular moment requires a lot of preparation, but also calls on the considerable knowledge and skills of many female members of the community whose assistance is indispensable for the proper course of labour and puerperium.In this article I seek to demonstrate the complexity of childbirth and maternity in their physiological, social, magic and religious aspects. I also highlight a sacred dimension of motherhood and the exceptional position of the female body – as having the power to give new life – in the cultural space of the Maghreb.