During pregnancy

First access to:

• Traditional birth attendant (TBA) will be massaging the stomach

  
  

  Traditional ceremony:

• Tian Madaring in 7 monthly: The pregnant woman wears exquisite clothing for this ritual and sits in the balai warti, which is a designated location for the tian mandaring ceremony. Until the entire family assembles to start the Tian Mandaring bathing ceremony, the woman remains in that unique location.

After pregnancy

• Batapung Tawar Tian in 3 monthly: Batapung Tawar is a custom tradition after childbirth, which carries the meaning of hope and prayers for the safety of the mother and the newborn. Tapung Tawar comes from the word "Tapung" (flour) taken from the ingredients used for the batapung tawar ceremony. "Tawar" in the Banjar language can be interpreted as healing. And the sprinkling tool is made of cut and woven banana leaves, coconut leaves, or banana leaves. Also included is a thank you message to the midwife who has helped.

• Abdominal massage

• Applying root mixture

  
  

Self-Perception

During pregnancy

• Pregnancy check start after three months

After pregnancy

• Remind taboo and suggest recovery,

• Dominant mother-in law

Restricted

• Pineapple: Pineapple, especially in its unripe form, is often believed to cause miscarriage or premature labor.

• Sea fish/Fishy food: These restrictions are believed to prevent physical discomforts such as headaches, nausea, and illness.

Suggested

• Vegetable

• Medical drugs

After childbirth

Restricted

• Bitter gourd: Postpartum mothers should not eat bitter gourd because it can cause headaches, nausea and vomiting.

• Eggs: Postpartum mothers should not eat eggs because they are afraid they will cause itching.

Suggested

• Grilled fish: Postpartum mothers of the Banjar tribe are recommended to eat only with grilled side dishes, not fried. This is so that vaginal wounds dry quickly.

• Medical drugs

• Herbs and roots: Traditional beliefs, such as using herbal medicines (e.g., turmeric, tamarind, garlic), are common for easing labor, healing after childbirth, and promoting recovery.

• Mitoni Ceremony: Celebrated in the 7th month of pregnancy, this includes the Sungkeman (asking forgiveness from parents) and Siraman (a purification bath with seven flowers to ensure a smooth pregnancy and healthy baby).

• Mapati Ceremony: At four months of gestation, the fetus is ready for the Mapati ceremony. In this custom, prayers and deeds of kindness are offered in hopes of granting the fetus health, good fortune, and a life filled with religious principles. It is thought to be the time when the fetus acquires a soul and a predetermined destiny.

After childbirth

• Swaddling

• Breastfeeding: Breastfeed for up to two years and avoids spicy foods and coconut milk while breastfeeding to prevent issues like diarrhea in the baby.

• Placenta Ritual: The placenta is washed, placed in a clay pot, and buried in the family’s garden, a common practice in Javanese culture.

• Postnatal Care: Drinking Jamu Selapan (a herbal remedy) for 40 days, wearing a Bengkung (postpartum belly binding), and practicing traditional baby carrying with a selendang batik (a batik fabric carrier).

• Some fruits (grapes, pineapple, durian, mango, coconut, jackfruit): Fruits like pineapple may cause the pregnant women to have miscarriage while fruits like jackfruit is restricted because it may cause increasing of gas in mother's body.

• Lamb/goat: Some Javanese people believe that consuming lamb or goat meat during pregnancy could lead to complications, like excessive swelling, difficulty in labor, or a tendency for the baby to develop certain physical traits (such as a hairy body, which is attributed to goat meat).

After childbirth

• Corn rice: Corn rice is the staple food with amino acid content better than usual rice or corn alone.

• Moringa leaves: Moringa leaf is one of the diets that has a higher iron and calcium content than spinach.

• Prayer (Ardas): As soon as a Sikh woman finds out she is pregnant, the first action is to offer prayers to Waheguru (the Divine). The Sikh faith emphasizes the importance of maintaining spiritual mindfulness throughout the pregnancy.

• Gurbani (the hymns of the Gurus): The woman and family will recite Gurbani to seek blessings for the safe delivery and health of the baby. It is believed that the child, even in the womb, is able to hear the divine words and will be blessed by them.

After childbirth

• Mool Mantar and Honey Ceremony: Once the baby is born, one of the first actions is to whisper the Mool Mantar (the foundational prayer of Sikhism composed by Guru Nanak) into the child’s ear. This establishes the child’s connection to Waheguru right from birth.

• Honey Ceremony: A drop of honey is placed in the newborn's mouth, symbolizing the sweetness of life and the nurturing care of the divine. This is done to purify the child and mark the beginning of their life in the spiritual and material world.

• Temple Visit (After 40 Days): It is customary for the mother and child to visit the Gurdwara (Sikh place of worship) within forty days after the birth. This visit is a way of giving thanks for the birth and seeking blessings from the Guru. During this visit, prayers are offered for the well-being and future of the child, and the parents seek guidance and spiritual blessings.

  
  

  
  

• Naming the Baby: Based on the letter from the Guru Granth Sahib, the family chooses a name for the baby. The name is then announced to the congregation, which publicly recognizes the newborn in the Sikh community.

• Addition of 'Singh' or 'Kaur': If the baby is a boy, the surname Singh (meaning "lion") is added to the first name. Singh symbolizes bravery, strength, and dignity, and is used by all Sikh men as part of their name to show equality and unity. If the baby is a girl, the surname Kaur (meaning "princess") is used, signifying strength, royalty, and grace for Sikh women.

• Karah Parshad: After the naming ceremony, Karah Parshad, a sacred sweet dish made from flour, semolina, butter, and sugar, is prepared and distributed to the congregation. Karah Parshad is not only a delicious food offering but is also considered a blessing. It is traditionally offered after any religious service in the Gurdwara, and its distribution symbolizes sharing the blessings and the joy of the occasion with the community.

• Bekindu: After childbirth, the mother enters a period of "heating," which lasts from 30 to 41 days. This involves keeping warm by a fire inside the home (bilik) and using medicinal herbs like ginger to raise body temperature. This tradition is thought to promote physical recovery after birth.

• Penti: During the heating period, the mother and infant undergo a series of ritual restrictions (penti) that set them apart from the wider community. These restrictions symbolize a transition between different social and cosmological states. The mother, for instance, cannot bathe in the river until she has completed her "heating" and undergone a steambath (Betangas) as a rite of passage.

• Ritual Movements: These rituals involve a physical journey through the longhouse. The movement progresses from the bilik (private family space) to the gallery (communal area), and culminates at the river, signifying the mother’s and infant’s return to normal social life. The baby’s first river bath is an important part of a larger Gawa rite that formally introduces the infant to the community.

After childbirth (child)

• Tasting Salt (ngetup garam): This ritual takes place 3–5 days after birth, once the umbilical cord falls off. The infant is carried from the family room to the open-air platform (tanju) of the longhouse, where it looks up at the sky, symbolizing its introduction to daylight. A small piece of salt is placed in the child’s mouth, believed to toughen the body and character. An elder then prays, introducing the child to the gods (petara) and asking for protection and long life.

• Naming the Infant (ngaga nama): The infant is named after some time, initially called "little larva" (ulat). Names are chosen from ancestors, particularly those who died peacefully. During the naming ceremony, rice balls are placed in front of a fighting cock, and the name of the rice ball the cock pecks first is given to the child. In some areas, the name is given after the infant's first bath, often by the person who bathed the child.

• Bathing the Infant (meri anak mandi): The bathing ceremony is the final and most elaborate infant rite, marking the child’s full integration into the community. Often held during the Gawai Dayak festival, it involves a procession from the family’s section of the longhouse to the river. A designated elder leads the procession, accompanied by symbolic figures, and music is played to ward off ill omens. At the river, the elder prays for the child's protection, sacrifices a fowl, and immerses the child in the water. Firearms are fired as a protective symbol. The procession returns to the longhouse, where a final prayer and "sprinkling" rite take place, blessing the mother and child. The ceremony ends with a communal meal, marking the mother’s reintegration and the child’s full acceptance into the community.

• Neither the expectant mother or her husband should cut creepers that grow across the paths.

• Neither the expectant mother or her husband should dam streams.

• Neither the expectant mother or her husband should nail or fasten objects or plug holes.

• She should not weave baskets or mats.

• She should not use dyes or other colours.

• Avoidance: Pregnant women are discouraged from activities like moving furniture, digging, slaughtering, or even looking at unpleasant images, as these actions are believed to disturb the fetus, potentially causing a difficult birth, miscarriage, or harm. Expectant mothers also avoid taboo words that could offend deities and spirits.

• Dietary Restrictions: Certain foods are avoided, such as mutton (linked to epilepsy) and crabs (believed to cause a mischievous child). "Cooling" foods that reduce vitality are also avoided to protect the womb. To promote a smooth delivery and good complexion for the child, pregnant women may consume gingko fruits and dried soya paste.

• Rituals of Protection: Prayers to deities like Bodhisattva Guan Yin (Goddess of Mercy) and Jin Hua Fu Ren (Lady Golden Flower) are offered to ensure the well-being of both mother and child.

After childbirth

• 30-day Confinement: Known as zuo yue (坐月), the mother stays home for 30 days to recover, resting and eating a nutritious diet, such as braised pig’s trotters with ginger and vinegar to regain strength and expel wind from the womb.

• Offerings to Ancestors and Deities: At the end of the confinement period, offerings are made to honor ancestors and deities.

  
  

• Hair Shaving: The baby’s hair is shaved on this day, and the mother is allowed to bathe and wash her hair for the first time.

• Clothing and Adornments: The baby is dressed in new, often red clothes and may wear gold accessories as part of offerings to ancestors and deities, signaling the arrival of a new member to the family and asking for divine protection.

• Gifts: The child is shown to relatives and friends for the first time. Gifts like red-dyed eggs (symbolizing renewal of life), cakes, and savory rice are shared, with recipients often returning the gesture with gold jewelry or cash in red packets.

• Celebration: Some families host the man yue celebration at a restaurant, where guests are served red eggs and pickled ginger, marking the occasion and wishing the baby good health and success.

Zhuazhou

This is a game where objects are caught to predict the child's future vocation or wealth. The implication of each object is different:

• Book: scholar

• Pen & Ink: writer, reporter

• Seal: high official

• Abacus/Calculator: businessman or accountant

• Money: affluent

• Ruler: lawyer, judge

• Shallot: intelligence

• Garlic: a good head for figures

• Straw: agriculturist

• Sword: officer, police

• Stethoscope: doctor, nurse