The experiences, cultural practices, and traditions of black and Asian women throughout pregnancy and childbirth are being preserved in an archive located in Manchester. This initiative is part of an oral history project launched by Holding Her Space, a community organization that supports new and expectant mothers from minority ethnic backgrounds. The project, known as Untold Stories of the Village, is being funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and aims to create culturally competent resources and provide education through the use of creative arts.
The main focus of the project is to document the generational stories of childbirth among women from African, Caribbean, and South Asian communities. These stories will be stored in the Ahmed Iqbal Ullah Race Centre and it is intended that they will be preserved in the archive for the next 50 to 100 years.
Naomi Pemberton, founder and director of Holding Her Space, expressed the significance of this undertaking: “We have been working in the community for several years now, specifically with black and Asian women, in order to provide improved access, experiences, and outcomes for them. Through this journey, we have had numerous stories shared with us from previous generations, even from our grandmothers’ era, regarding how things used to be. We realized that it would be a truly innovative idea because we have never seen it done before.”
Pemberton emphasized the importance of preserving these stories, not only to shed light on the challenges and traumas experienced by women, but also to capture the cultural practices and traditions that have been lost over time. She highlighted the fact that black women are four times more likely to die during pregnancy and childbirth compared to white women, and that mixed ethnicity women and Asian women also face significantly higher mortality rates. Another concerning statistic is that the stillbirth rate for black babies in England and Wales is almost twice that of white babies.
According to Pemberton, pregnancy for women of color, particularly black women, is often associated with negativity and fear instead of celebration. She feels it is crucial to shift this negative dialogue surrounding pregnancy and bring a sense of lightness to the experience, while still addressing the underlying issues. The project aims to celebrate the cultural and traditional aspects of pregnancy for women of color.
In addition to preserving oral histories, the Untold Stories of the Village project will produce a documentary, a live theater production, an arts exhibition, and a book. These creative avenues will further promote awareness and understanding of the unique experiences of black and Asian women during pregnancy and childbirth.
The community archivist at the Ahmed Iqbal Ullah Race Centre, Laila Benhaida, has provided training sessions to the project leads and volunteers. She recognizes the importance of capturing stories that are often marginalized and believes that oral history work is a valuable means of recording histories that are not typically found in official records. Benhaida is excited to support this inspiring group of women who bring a wealth of varied experiences and passion to the Untold Stories of the Village project.
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