"Sankofa" Birth
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Dr. Doula (Andrea Little Mason, Ed.D.) is an educator, scholar, researcher, speaker, and legacy builder who travels internationally to gain a greater understanding of the connectedness of women of African descent on the Continent and in the Diaspora. She encourages women to reach back to take hold of the best that previous generations have to teach, so they can be equipped to move forward and toward their full potentials. She shows them how to empower themselves by reclaiming and embracing indigenous knowledge and practices that have been lost, stolen, surrendered, abandoned and forgotten. "SANKOFA" teaches us: "it is not taboo to go back and fetch what you forgot"... even if what you have forgotten is something as magnificent as BIRTH. |
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Just as a renaissance symbolizes the “rebirth” or “revival” of learning from an earlier period of time, Black birth workers represent those who are embracing the traditional birth practices of healers who were systematically discarded and banned during the middle of the 20th Century in the United States. Today, Black women are participating in and fueling the Black Birth Renaissance of the 21st Century. We are equipping ourselves to help ourselves and heal ourselves in order to save ourselves.
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Reclaiming Birth Rites & Restoring Family Practices
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As doulas have become popular, I have heard more and more birth professionals endorse this belief:
“Your family and friends cannot support you effectively during pregnancy, you need to hire a professional doula." However, the expectation of looking outside of the family to find support for birthing mothers is a western concept and fairly new in many cultures. "In my family, I am a part of the first generation born in a hospital. My mother and the mothers before her were born at home, surrounded and supported by family. In fact, it was my Mom who told me, 'Don’t worry, Anny... when you are ready to have a baby, I will teach you everything you need to know...' " ~Dr. Doula |
The truth is that the doula profession is less than three decades old, but the work that doulas do is ANCIENT WORK that has always been a part of traditional cultures around the world. It is the same work that has been done by mothers, grandmothers, aunties, sisters and close friends... BEFORE there were doulas. It is the reason why in most traditional cultures there is no word specifically used to describe this role as a profession, like most cultures have for midwife. The knowledge of how to care for new mothers was “common” and passed down from generation to generation through practices that reinforced connection and knit families together.
Through "Ten Things" Workshop sessions and the "Sankofa Ways" Workshop, Dr. Doula shares fundamental practices of birth and postpartum care from the African continent that have also been essential to sustain the African Diaspora for centuries. As we re-establish cultural birth and postpartum practices, we will build tribe.
People of African descent have always needed to be equipped to HELP themselves, HEAL themselves, and SAVE themselves. Make sure you KNOW THE BASICS about traditional ways of caring for women during the childbearing year.
Through "Ten Things" Workshop sessions and the "Sankofa Ways" Workshop, Dr. Doula shares fundamental practices of birth and postpartum care from the African continent that have also been essential to sustain the African Diaspora for centuries. As we re-establish cultural birth and postpartum practices, we will build tribe.
People of African descent have always needed to be equipped to HELP themselves, HEAL themselves, and SAVE themselves. Make sure you KNOW THE BASICS about traditional ways of caring for women during the childbearing year.
Become a SANKOFA BIRTH AMBASSADOR!
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BEFORE THERE WERE DOULAS... there were mothers, grandmothers, aunts, sisters and friends who supported the mothers in their lives during the their childbearing years. Do you desire to support women and families but not sure where to begin? A Sankofa Birth Ambassador Workshop is your starting place. Find out all you need to know to begin to RECLAIM YOUR BIRTH RITES and support the women in your life and community. DISCOUNT and GROUP/FAMILY RATES for workshops available. DON’T MISS OUT! |
Through the "Africa to the Diaspora" Birth and Postpartum Project sacred practices are being preserved and being made available to members of D.O.A.D. Alliance and Sankofa Birth Ambassadors where protection of culture is the focus. Through the Birth HERstory Blog, Black women are being celebrated and their work in the birth community is being promoted.
CLICK THE IMAGES below to learn ways you can get reconnected to birth culture in the African Diaspora.
CLICK THE IMAGES below to learn ways you can get reconnected to birth culture in the African Diaspora.
The Africa to the Diaspora (A2D) Birth & Postpartum Project is an opportunity for women of African descent to reconnect knowledge and skills of women of the continent of Africa to the women of African descent who have been scattered around the globe, through video/audio interviews. There are five interviews currently available and more are being added. These interviews are full of narratives about African traditions and ONLY AVAILABLE to Sankofa Birth Ambassadors and members of Daughters of the African Diaspora Alliance.
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D.O.A.D. Alliance recognizes the Daughters of the African Diaspora, spread throughout Western cultures, committed to learning traditions of their ancestors, understanding the needs of women's bodies & using ancient knowledge to HEAL AND PROTECT WOMEN. As a member of D.O.A.D. Alliance, birth workers and birth adjacent women gain access to the A2D Project and are promoted here and abroad as one who is preserving, protecting and promoting sacred practices for women. We will forever be ""CONNECTED BY BLOOD and BOUND TOGETHER BY BIRTH"
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As Black women, we have always been responsible for EQUIPPING ourselves to HELP ourselves and HEAL ourselves in order to SAVE ourselves. The Birth HERstory Interviews recognize and showcase Black women who are participating in and fueling the Black Birth Renaissance of the 21st Century.
On this blog, midwives, doulas and birth adjacent Black women are sharing their journeys in birth culture and how they are working to improve birth outcomes. If you want to get a glimpse into birthing and birth culture from Black women's perspectives, these interviews will set you on the right course.
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#DrDoula #AfricanDiaspora #IAmTheAnswer #WeSaveOurselves #WeBuildLegacy #LearnYourLegacy
Dr. Doula SPEAKS!
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South African Traditional Birth Attendants Conference HIGHLIGHTSOn June 5 - 6, 2019, Dr. Doula had the honor of representing the Daughters of the African Diaspora at the Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) Conference in Durban, South Africa. She spoke on the topic: Reclaiming and Embracing Traditional Birth Attendants’ Knowledge and Practices of Africans in the Diaspora. If you would like to participate in some upcoming opportunities to help work on a plan to build a bridge between Diasporic African birthworkers and South African TBAs, please CONTACT DR. DOULA and let her know.
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The BLACK HISTORY of Birth in AmericaEducation that acknowledges the contributions of women of African descent in birth culture is still scarce in modern birth culture. Dr. Doula addresses the parts of birth in America that have been lost, stolen, abandoned, forgotten and surrendered while issuing a charge about who is responsible for what and discussing ways that Black women can empower themselves to improve their birth outcomes.
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Also available on DrDoula.com
D.O.A.D. Jewelry is custom crafted by Dr. Doula with Daughters of the African Diaspora in mind. The "Bound by Birth" Wristlet is being worn by Diasporic African women and on the continent. Purchase your own D.O.A.D. Jewelry HERE.
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SUBSCRIBE to the Dr. Doula SPEAKS! and Black Birth Renaissance YouTube Channels and CLICK THE NOTIFICATION BUTTON🛎 to know when Dr. Doula sharing new videos about her journey back to Africa and discussing topics relevant to Black Women in Birth and Reclaiming Our Birth Rites!
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SUBSCRIBE to the We Build Legacy Blog to follow the Mason's journey back to Africa. See the ways they
- connected in South Africa... - found family in South Africa... - had a traditional Zulu wedding in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa... - and began to spread their influence through their connections in South Africa. |
Learning. Sharing. Resources.
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Prepare for Birth w/ SKILLSLearn birthing "skills" from the comfort and privacy of your home that you and your partner need to manage your birth well.
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Birth HERstory TraditionsREAD and SHARE birth traditions from mothers, grandmothers, aunts and other amazing women of African descent in your lives.
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