Pregnant

“Mother is the holiest thing alive”

Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834)

Offspring is the valuable things for every spouse in the world. For Malay community who’s almost Muslim believed that every child has their own fated and destined. So that, every parent should express thankful with the new comers. In Malay tradition, there are lots of rituals that inherited from the previous ancestors. It involving a phases from pregnancy timing, give birth and after birth.   

2.1 “MELENGGANG PERUT”

It also known as “Kirim Perut” for northern region in Peninsular Malaysia and “Mandi Tian” for other places. The ritual always practicing for a pregnant mother for the first time while his pregnancy have reach around 7 or 8 months. It is believe that the ritual can evade bad omen that might happen to the pregnant mother and it can help to accurate the positions of the baby. The ritual is prepared by the midwife. 

  

2.1.1 EQUIPMENTS FOR “MELENGGANG PERUT” RITUAL

1.  7 fabrics with different colors

2.  Rice

3.  Coconut

4.  A pieces of thread

5.  “Damar”

6.  Coconut oil

7.  Candle

8. Complete “tepak sirih”

9. RM 1.25 as “Pengeras”

  

2.1.2 THE STAGES OF “MELENGGANG PERUT” RITUAL

The midwife will recite incantation for the pregnant mother. After that, the women will take a bath with “sintuk limau” and “air buyung”. An egg and a mirror will locate with the pregnant mother meanwhile she is sitting on the chair for taking bath. A cock will tied at the chair and the egg will released which is believed that it will make the pregnant mother does not have any hardship to delivery baby.

Next, the women will look her face at a mirror which believes the baby has attractive appearance. Later, pregnant mother will lie down on the 7 colors of fabrics and the midwife will massages with coconut oil. The coconut will be massaging on the stomach of the pregnant mother from the top to the toe which using coconut oil. It is believes that if the peak of the coconut is stop on the above she will deliver boy baby and vice versa. 

Last but not least, the last fabrics and the equipment will be given to the midwife. In conjunction with the ritual, a Thanksgiving solemn will be celebrated. It is also believe that thus ritual have interconnected with Hindu’s cultural.

Damar

 

 

 

Example of tepak sireh