In this episode Montse Olmos, Mujer dela Tierra, & Mayte Acolt, The Womb Doula, join Maggie to discuss their work and what they have witnessed around cultural appropriation during birth. In March, their shared cognizance led them to create a petition requesting removal of Rebozo training from doula workshops, which has garnered international attention. This has also lead to a broader discussion around cultural appropriation in the birth community, which is important, necessary, & overdue.
Montse Olmos & Mayte Acolt are Totonaca Indigenous birth companions and migrants in the United States. Mayte is a traditional Sobadora since age seven, taught by her grandmother. Montse was raised by her family elders who practiced herbal medicine, Sobadas and energetic healing. They host “What You Didn’t Know About the Rebozo” together and share about the history of the Rebozo from an Indigenous perspective, while connecting it to the work of anti-racism, Indigenous liberation and becoming an accomplice to historically oppressed communities.
Mayte and Montse began a movement in March 2021 to remove Rebozo birth techniques from Doula Training Organization in the U.S., as a result of the excessive and inappropriate use of this sacred textile amongst Doulas and Midwives. They conduct this work with genuine concern for the commercialization and dilution of the Rebozo and propose that extensive mentorship and hands-on learning from expert Elders is necessary in order to practice Rebozo body-work in an ethical way.
You can follow them on IG: Montse is found at mujer dela tierra & Mayte is at maytethewombdoula.
The Rebozo is not a “tool” for labor support…we need to stop viewing it as an extractable element, and reflect its’ sacred nature & the bigger story behind its use & misuse.
During this conversation we discuss:
~the physical harm from Rebozo use that prompted the urgency of the petition
~how many birthworker trainings provide inadequate training for holistic remedies
~how the medical-industrial complex fuels cultural appropriation
~the damage from viewing birthcare provision through an individual vs communal lens
~the exhaustion from needing to validate ancestral wisdom for US birthworkers ad nauseum
If this conversation has lit a fire in you to discover more about Rebozos and understand your positionality in birthwork, we cannot recommend highly enough Montse & Mayte’s ongoing knowledge shares, which are offered every few weeks and (scheduling is kept up to date through Montse’s linktree).
Mayte & Monte are leading two session of their incredible knowledge share centered around use of the Rebozo and the role of birthworkers in ceasing cultural appropriation over the next few weeks. You can find out more about the two options: starting 5/11, and starting 5/17.
We found this course so impactful, that we would love to share this opportunity with our community! If you would like to win a free slot in one of the upcoming trainings, please comment on our giveaway post over in our community group!
For more reading of personal experiences with cultural appropriation and to contextualize it’s history in birthwork, please check out:
~Cultural Appropriation: Do Not Steal My Culture Please
~Not Your Idea: Cultural Appropriation in the Birthing Community
~Home Birth & Cultural Appropriation
Check out this episode’s full transcript or tune in wherever you enjoy podcasts.
If you enjoyed this interview you’ll want to tune into the rest of it coming out 5/10 digging deeper into appropriation, accountability, & allyship!
We’d love to hear from you; join our community group to discuss!
Music from https://filmmusic.io
“Gonna Start” by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)