Gunts, Simbai Valley, Papua New Guinea
Friday, August 2, 1963
Waruk had been sleeping in her bilum, slung from a forked pole at the side of Gunts yard. Her mother, Wia, had been chatting with other women gathered in the shade of the banana trees.
Wia took Waruk out of the bilum just as soon as she heard her stirring.
She wiped her nose with bit of leaf,
..... checked her hair for lice,
...and Waruk settled down to nurse.
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I love this sequence of mother-child interaction - the way mothers calmly make sure the kid is happy.
ReplyDeleteHi, Susanne!
DeleteI like your word "calm". During the year we spent among the Maring speakers, we were impressed at the relaxed relationship between adults and little kids. Young, nursing babies were always with their mothers until they were too heavy to carry to gardens. Then as toddlers they were left in the hamlets with older siblings or aunties and grandmas. A few kids made "scenes" upon the departure of their mom, but were soon distracted. Upon a mom's return they were cuddled and nursed again.
Yes, lovely interactions between mother and child. Attentive to the 'stirring' of the little one, check for lice, set to nursing. Also admire Wia's sculpted hair-do. How did the Maring cut hair?
ReplyDelete