BRAZIL PART II

Three flights and six hours later I arrived in Tefé, a small town in the Amazon region of Brazil. When I travel I usually wear long clothes and a sweater because airplanes tend to get cold from the air conditioning. But when I stepped outside the airport it felt like walking straight into a wall of humidity and heat. The air was heavy, warm and almost overwhelming after the cold airplane cabin. After arriving at my hotel I met Dores, an incredible woman. If it hadn’t been for her, I probably wouldn’t have filmed anything in the Amazon.

Dores works with the Mamirauá Institute, a research and conservation organization in the region. Through her work she knows many of the traditional midwives in the area and is also involved in the association of traditional midwives. (Which still are in need of financial support) Together we made a plan for the week, which communities to visit, which midwives I could meet and interview. I can’t say enough how thankful I am for her support.

During my five days in the Amazon I learned a lot. I listened to many stories, and I left completely speechless. The traditional midwives of the Amazon have been doing this work their entire lives.

Most of them told me they started learning from their mothers or grandmothers when they were around twelve years old. Each one of them said they didn’t necessarily choose this work but it was needed. Over time many of them felt something deeper...A calling. I think that makes sense, because once you begin assisting women during birth, something shifts. The work midwives do, the moments we get to witness, to me it often feels almost sacred. Being able to witness the moment a new life enters the world, a human taking its first breath on this world. It’s a responsibility that requ ires skill, sensitivity, patience, and an incredible amount of trust.

During the days I got to interview them I learned a lot about how they work, how they get supported (or not supported) about the plants they use and ceremonies they do.

Many of the midwives spoke about herbal remedies they have been using for generations.

Plants for nausea during pregnancy. Plants to help labor start. Plants to ease labor pain. And even plants used to prevent heavy bleeding after birth.

One plant they showed me they called “purple cotton.”

The leaves are steamed and placed on a woman’s belly after birth to help the uterus contract and release the pain. A tea made from the leaves is sometimes used for uterine track infections or cramps during your period.

But they were very clear about one thing: the dosage matters. In very small amounts it is considered medicine.

In larger amounts the plant can stimulate strong uterine contractions, which is why in some regions it has also been used to induce abortions.Listening to them explain this was fascinating. Again and again they told me how well these remedies work in their communities. And while I was sitting there writing down the names of plants and the ways they prepare them, I kept wondering why there is so little scientific research about this knowledge. These women carry generations of experience.

Plant medicine, hands-on techniques and different birth positions like births in hammocks.

And I’m in complete awe of them. During almost every interview I found myself hanging onto their every word, not wanting to miss a single detail.

Many of these midwives work in extremely remote areas. We had to take a boat from Tefe to get to those places. Often there is no doctor or other medical staff nearby.

Sometimes the closest hospital is hours away ...by boat.

And while the goverment offers little to no access to medical care, the signifcant work these women have been doing is not recognized by the government. The women living in these communities depend heavily on these midwives. And I kept asking myself: How can we say midwifery is part of the cultural heritage of humanity, and at the same time do so little to support the people who carry that knowledge?

In 2023, midwifery was officially recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. When I first heard that, I thought it was a huge breakthrough.

I thought maybe programs would follow, support for midwives around the world.

Efforts to document all this knowledge, ways to preserve what they know for generations. , Because I believe it will get lost if we don't start doing something about it.

The midwives also shared cultural beliefs that have existed in the region for generations.

Multiple midwifes told me about a story that women should not go into the river while they are on their period, they believe the river dolphins might impregnate them.

At first it sounded like one of many myths that exist in different cultures.

But later I learned that the story has a much deeper and darker background.

It has been used as a way to explain pregnancies that resulted from sexual violence, allowing families to speak about what happened without directly naming the perpetrator.

Hearing that made the story feel very different. It reminded me again how closely birth, culture, and social realities are intertwined.