vroedvrou

This study brings together an interdisciplinary approach by looking at Indigenous Knowledge Systems, Healthcare and cultural preservation by focusing on midwifery practices in the Richtersveld in the Northern Cape, South Africa. As an extension of the work conducted with the film Vroedvrou (2023) by Siona O’Connell and Loretta Feris, this research not only aims to document and preserve this valuable knowledge but also to explore ways to integrate it into modern healthcare systems, ultimately improving maternal and child health outcomes while respecting and honouring the rich cultural heritage of the Northern Cape’s indigenous communities.

A Study of Nama Midwifery in the Richtersveld

Midwifery has played a crucial role in the Richtersveld, where traditional birth attendants have been responsible for providing prenatal, childbirth, and postnatal care to the local population. These traditional birth attendants, often women with extensive knowledge of indigenous medicinal plants and birthing techniques, have worked to ensure the health and wellbeing of mothers and infants in the region. Midwifery practices in the Richtersveld are deeply rooted in the region’s cultural heritage and traditional healing modalities. Independent midwives in South Africa, including those serving the Richtersveld, often maintain dual roles as both registered nurses and traditional healers, blending Western and indigenous approaches to prenatal, birthing, and postnatal care. These midwives play a vital role in addressing the high maternal and neonatal mortality rates that persist in many parts of the country, particularly in underserved public healthcare facilities.

Project Aims

This project aims to explore the integration of Indigenous Knowledge Systems in maternal healthcare, with the goal of enhancing patient safety and reducing maternal mortality. It emphasizes the preservation of IKS as a vital component of women’s psychological security during childbirth and evaluates the legal frameworks that support or restrict the use of these systems. Additionally, an international platform will be established to foster the preservation, sharing, and responsible utilization of IKS in maternal health practices.

A comprehensive literature review that provides a historical background of the Richtersveld region, documents the traditional midwifery practices in the area, and examines the impact of efforts to protect the region’s cultural heritage that will be published in a peer-reviewed journal.

Expected Outcomes & Impact

A series of in-depth interviews and focus groups that capture the nuances and complexities of indigenous knowledge systems related to pregnancy, birth, and postpartum care in the Richtersveld that will form part of the digital archive and
online platform.

Vroedvrou

Vroedvrou is a project that maps and protects Indigenous knowledge systems around childbirth, combining legal research with community voices. Through an interactive online platform, it connects researchers, midwives, policymakers, and families to share practices, highlight gaps in protection, and celebrate the resilience of Indigenous birth traditions.

Vroedvrou Documentary

Vroedvrou is a documentary rooted in the Richtersveld, tracing Indigenous midwifery through Nama oral histories and desert ecologies. Centering Richtersveld birth workers and elders, it shows how care, kinship, and place interweave to sustain maternal health and cultural continuity.

Vroedvrou Film

My Third Ouma

My Third Ouma is a book by Professor Siona O’Connell and Professor Loretta Feris, Leanne Feris and Alicia English as a response to early childhood literacy challenges. The book draws together Indigenous Knowledge Systems, heritage and mother-tongue learning.
The story not only celebrates the enduring spirit of these women but also serves as a reminder of the importance of other ways of knowing.

My Third Ouma Book

Literature Review

Our Interactive Literature Review brings together research from across Africa, the Americas, and beyond to visualize how traditional, community-led practices shape maternal and infant health. By curating and clustering scholarly studies, oral histories, and policy analyses, the project highlights both the resilience of Indigenous birth workers and the systemic challenges they face. The map serves as a living archive, showing where practices thrive, where they are marginalized, and how they intersect with modern healthcare. It offers a powerful tool for education, advocacy, and decolonial transformation in maternal care.

Literature Review

News Highlights

UP documentary spotlights dwindling
practice of traditional midwifery

In a world swiftly embracing Western medical practices, the expertise of traditional midwives is silently diminishing. However, a ground-breaking documentary by two University of Pretoria (UP) professors aims to shed light on this issue.

One of the first children’s books in
Nama sees the light

Emerging from the 2024 “Vroedvrou” film documentary by University of Pretoria Professor Siona O’Connell, the ground-breaking children’s book was launched inKuboes in the Northern Cape.

Kan ’n dokumentêr jou iets
van jouself teruggee?

Dit het begin toe ’n vriend vir my ’n artikel oor Noord-Kaapse vroedvroue van die Universiteit van Pretoria (UP) gestuur het. Ons is beide trotse Noord-Kapers – ek van Barkly-Wes en hy van Upington – en ’n liefde vir die provinsie en sy mense dink ek is die rede waarom ons so vinnig en goeie vriende geword het.