About
us...
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| Angelina Martinez Miranda's workshop in Savenay, France. |
Created in 2009, the Association MÂ aims to
lead awareness campaigns around the theme of Humanization of Birth, and to
promote the well being of children from their birth to their mature age. The organization
also contributes to create social links and open networks between its members
and non-members (professionals, students, parents, activists…). The
organization launches various projects, aimed to be shared in different
cultural settings, in order to promote intercultural discussions on birth and
motherhood.
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| Maïwenn & Norah, Fair Trade Solidarity Project |
Since 2011, the organization has set up
intercultural exchanges with traditional midwives and doctors from Chiapas, Mexico.
In France, MÂ organizes screenings, social events, training workshops, and conferences
(a small congress was organized) in which we receive speakers from Mexico,
among whom: the Mexican midwife Angelina Martinez Miranda, the traditional
doctor Fernando Hernandez and the film-maker Agripino Ico Bautista. The latter
is a member of OMIECH (Organization of Indigenous Doctors from the state of
Chiapas) which is collaborating with the Association MÂ for an exchange program
on knowledge transmission between French women and traditional Maya midwives.
ABOUT OMIECH ...
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| Micaela Ico Bautista during an OMIECH Women and Midwives’ Area workshop. |
OMIECH was created in
1985 in San Cristóbal de Las Casas, in the Chiapas State of Mexico. The
organization’s goal is to promote traditional Mayan medicine. At the beginning,
OMIECH was principally devoted to reinforcing the traditional knowledge around
medicinal plants, through workshops, the creation of a medicinal garden within
the organization and in indigenous communities. The collection of medicinal
plants then led to the creation of a herbalist shop. Later, more specific workshops
were created with women and midwives from the organization.
ACTIVITIES
OF OMIECH' S WOMEN
AND MIDWIVES’ AREA
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| Children reading OMIECH's books edited in Tsotsil, Tseltal and Spanish languages. |
The collaboration between MÂ and OMIECH led to the
project “Promoting the traditional practice of Mayan midwives in Indigenous
communities in Chiapas, Mexico”. The activities took place in 11 Indigenous
communities from the State of Chiapas and consisted in community workshops. During
these workshops, the main theme was sexual and maternal health (pregnancy,
childbirth, post-partum, infant health, family planning, diseases and issues
related to women’s health). The workshops were conceived and realized from the
point of view, the feelings, the perspective and the cosmovision of traditional
Mayan medicine. One of the goals was to transmit traditional knowledge and skills
to apprentice midwives. The methodology used during the workshops is one of exchange
of knowledge and experiences on medicinal plants and birth practices, between and
from experienced traditional midwives to other midwives.
“Thus, our customs and traditions that we have
been preserving for centuries would not disappear”.
Following on
these workshops, two women per community were able to learn midwifery in order
to recover and reinforce the therapeutic practices of experimented midwives.
They will learn how to attend childbirths and how to solve possible
complications.
Goals
of the organizations
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| Agripino Ico Bautista (OMIECH), Eugenia Corne (Mâ) and Fernando Hernandez in Quimper, France. |
MÂ
and OMIECH
Mâ in France:
MÂ’s
goal is to raise awareness on cultural diversity, to promote messages from Indigenous
people and to open a window on Mayan culture, thanks to audiovisual support.
Its goal is also to allow access to Mayan and Mexican documents translated in
French, and create intercultural and solidarity-oriented exchanges in France.
The organization devotes a great part of its activities to promote Respected Childbirth
(Humanization of Childbirth), raising awareness among the general public to the
work of traditional midwives and doctors from Mexico.
OMIECH in Mexico:
The Women and Midwives’ section of OMIECH
was created upon request of Indigenous women from Chiapas, who wanted to
organize workshops where women and traditional midwives from several
communities could exchange their knowledge. Their goal: to develop, strengthen
and transmit the knowledge and medical practices of traditional Mayan midwives.
This network of women embodies the values of self-education, including an
intercultural exchange through solidarity networks in France.
Origin of the Partnership
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| OMIECH & MÂ in San Cristobal, Chiapas |
The first encounter took place in April
2010 whwhenile OMIECH was collaborating with MÂ for the documentary “Partera
Madrina”. MÂ’s interest for the work of OMIECH’s Women and Midwives’ Section has
been growing since.
Even though “Partera Madrina” could not be
produced in the expected deadlines, the director and coordinator of the
Communication department of OMIECH, Agripino Ico Bautista, accepted to entrust
his documentary “Knowledge of Indigenous Midwives from the Highlans of Chiapas”
to MÂ in order to be translated, subtitled and screened in France.
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| Mounia El Kotni & Alice Bafoin, MÂ's volunteers with Micaela Ico Baustita. |
From early September to mid-October 2011,
the Association MÂ received Agripino Ico Bautista in order to create a space for
exchanges with French audience. A dozen of screenings took place, all followed
by discussions and debates with the director. This was a strengthening
experience for everyone, and created a new project, in order for MÂ and OMIECH
to collaborate together on an audiovisual production for the French and Mexican
public.
Join our organization and become
a member!
You can send us a letter
with the following information:
- First and Last Name
- Address
- E-mail
- Telephone Number
- And 5 euros (or more!) by check.
Contact us
infoassociationma@gmail.com
Association MÂ
Chez Aurélie Bes de Berc
49 quai de la Prévalaye
35000 Rennes
France
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