My Henna Journey
I discovered henna on the Big Island of Hawaii back in 2003, and I've been exploring the art of adornment ever since. I moved back to Boulder, Colorado and in December of 2007 I began the Blessed Belly art project. I began painting pregnant women, and this practice has brought out the best in me. What follows is a glimpse of my recent artwork.
Shonda
Submitted by SarahKate on Sat, 07/24/2010 - 3:21am.
Postpartum Henna Traditions
Submitted by SarahKate on Wed, 07/21/2010 - 5:07am.   |
Postpartum Henna TraditionsI love the practice of pampering a woman in her pregnancy and again after she’s had her baby. It’s a wonderful way to honor the rite of motherhood. In north Africa the Berbers have an interesting henna tradition - they beautify mothers with ornate henna patterns and while these designs are present the mother is allowed to rest and take a break from household chores. It is unknown how long this tradition has been going on, but I do know that the Berbers have been dying their hair with henna for over 8,000 years. Who are the Berbers? Ethnically, “they represent as many as 80% of the population in Morocco and Algeria, more than 60% in Tunisia and Libya and 2% in Egypt, altogether some 50 million people.” -Salim Khalaf Catherine Cartwright has a fascinating article about their henna traditions: The Functions of Childbirth and Postpartum Traditions “Hennaing a woman after she gives birth is a traditional way to deter the malevolent spirits that cause disease, depression, and poor bonding with her infant. The action of applying henna to a mother after childbirth, particularly to her feet, keeps her from getting up to resume housework! A woman who has henna paste on her feet must let a friend or relative help her care for older children, tend the baby, cook, and clean! This allows her to regain her strength and bond with her new baby. She is also comforted by having friends who care about her well-being, and is helped to feel pretty again. The countries that have these traditions have very low rates of postpartum depression.” 
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Postpartum Henna Traditions
Submitted by SarahKate on Wed, 07/21/2010 - 5:07am. |
Postpartum Henna TraditionsI love the practice of pampering a woman in her pregnancy and again after she’s had her baby. It’s a wonderful way to honor the rite of motherhood. In north Africa the Berbers have an interesting henna tradition - they beautify mothers with ornate henna patterns and while these designs are present the mother is allowed to rest and take a break from household chores. It is unknown how long this tradition has been going on, but I do know that the Berbers have been dying their hair with henna for over 8,000 years. Who are the Berbers? Ethnically, “they represent as many as 80% of the population in Morocco and Algeria, more than 60% in Tunisia and Libya and 2% in Egypt, altogether some 50 million people.” -Salim Khalaf Catherine Cartwright has a fascinating article about their henna traditions: The Functions of Childbirth and Postpartum Traditions “Hennaing a woman after she gives birth is a traditional way to deter the malevolent spirits that cause disease, depression, and poor bonding with her infant. The action of applying henna to a mother after childbirth, particularly to her feet, keeps her from getting up to resume housework! A woman who has henna paste on her feet must let a friend or relative help her care for older children, tend the baby, cook, and clean! This allows her to regain her strength and bond with her new baby. She is also comforted by having friends who care about her well-being, and is helped to feel pretty again. The countries that have these traditions have very low rates of postpartum depression.”
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