Edison Mhaka

Shona Taboos Related To Pregnancy, Birth and Infancy Edison Mhaka

According to Hastings (1954), the Polynesian word taboo means that a particular person, object, word or action is to be avoided. Scholars such as Smith (1898) Durkheim (1915) and Radcliffe- Brown (1939) have observed that an important quality of taboo as its association with the sacred. According to this theory, anything taboo is sacred and dangerous and is therefore to be avoided. The Shona term for taboos is zvieraera or zvierwa. The Shona taboo certain persons, objects, words or actions because of their religious beliefs. Taboos are omnipresent in all the spheres of Shona traditional society. One category of Shona taboos is pregnancy, birth and infant taboos. Pregnancy, birth and infant taboos are still observed by the Shona in Zimbabwe by even those who have embraced western science and Christianity. One therefore finds some Shona professionals such as nurses and teachers to be still observing some of the pregnancy, birth and infant taboos. It is important to note that most of the taboos included in this monograph are taken seriously by the Shona. In other words, the Shona consider many of the consequences associated with the taboos to be true. They are not taken to be empty threats. For instance, it is not uncommon to see a pregnant Shona woman conducting a ritual of spitting on her stomach after looking at a person with physical disabilities or an albino. However, the impact of westernization and economic hardships has resulted in some Shona failing to observe some of the pregnant, birth and infant taboos. For instance, the Zimbabwean economic meltdown which started in 2007 resulted in serious food shortages which led pregnant women to break certain food taboos. People were looking for cheap and easily available foods. Urbanization has made the taboos related to the burial of deceased babies difficult to observe.