Vietnam culture
The 12 mid-wives or Vietnam's Fairy Godmothers
Vietnam has many female deities.
Some of Vietnam's most ancient female deities are
The 12 Midwives,
also known as
The Fairy Godmothers.
*
Let us meet these ancient, kind women by looking at
a Vietnamese baby's one-month-old celebration.
Some of Vietnam's most ancient female deities are
The 12 Midwives,
also known as
The Fairy Godmothers.
*
Let us meet these ancient, kind women by looking at
a Vietnamese baby's one-month-old celebration.
Vietnamese baby's one month old celebration
In Vietnam, all babies have a one-month-old celebration.
This celebration is extremely important for the baby and the family.
*
At the core of Vietnameseness is the fusion of ancestor worship and animism.
The baby’s one-month-old celebration is aligned to animism.
*
A table is set for twelve. There is food, ready to eat. The table is made colourful and beautiful with flowers.
At this table, which was laid on 1 May, 2020, are twelve plates of fried rice and sticky rice cakes.
There is also a plate of betel nuts.
Betel nuts ???
A strange thing to be seen on a table set up for a baby's one month old celebration.
Betel nut is an addictive narcotic which gives the chewer a high.
In present day Vietnam, it is often seen as a gift or decoration at weddings. It is an adult product.
However, history reveals, it is ILLEGAL to consume betel nut in Vietnam.
A strange thing to be seen on a table set up for a baby's one month old celebration.
Betel nut is an addictive narcotic which gives the chewer a high.
In present day Vietnam, it is often seen as a gift or decoration at weddings. It is an adult product.
However, history reveals, it is ILLEGAL to consume betel nut in Vietnam.
More history. When the government banned betel nut chewing, the majority of the population followed the new law.
However, old women kept chewing betel nut. They insisted that black teeth were a sign of beauty.
Eventually the police agreed to turn a blind eye to their illegal ways. (And who would be so ill mannered as to arrest an elderly woman?)
These days, betel nut chewing is seen as an old women's activity.
*
This betel nut on the table indicates that the twelve meals must be set for twelve old women.
It is set for twelve very special old women.
However, old women kept chewing betel nut. They insisted that black teeth were a sign of beauty.
Eventually the police agreed to turn a blind eye to their illegal ways. (And who would be so ill mannered as to arrest an elderly woman?)
These days, betel nut chewing is seen as an old women's activity.
*
This betel nut on the table indicates that the twelve meals must be set for twelve old women.
It is set for twelve very special old women.
On the table, at one end, is a cup of uncooked rice.
The cup of rice is used to hold smoldering incense sticks.
Smoking incense sticks beckon ghosts, ancestors, deities and spirits.
At this point the table set up looks like appeasement to spirits.
However, it is NOT.
The cup of rice is used to hold smoldering incense sticks.
Smoking incense sticks beckon ghosts, ancestors, deities and spirits.
At this point the table set up looks like appeasement to spirits.
However, it is NOT.
This table is set up for a baby's one month old celebration.
Once the incense is lit, the baby is bought to the end of the table.
The baby bows;
ONCE,
Once the incense is lit, the baby is bought to the end of the table.
The baby bows;
ONCE,
TWICE,
THREE TIMES.
And the ceremony is over.
The baby goes back to sleep.
The baby goes back to sleep.
What just happened?
The BABY just THANKED the twelve mid-wives (fairy godmothers) for their help, past and future.
The BABY just THANKED the twelve mid-wives (fairy godmothers) for their help, past and future.
WHAT do Vietnam's twelve midwives do?
WHO are the Vietnamese fairy godmothers?
WHO are the Vietnamese fairy godmothers?
Vietnam's ancient fairy godmothers CARE for ALL babies.
They start caring for the baby from the day of conception.
Each mid-wife is responsible for one specific duty.
Each of these ancient female care givers has a name.
Their title and form of address, Mụ bà, equates to midwife (bà = older, respected woman).
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They start caring for the baby from the day of conception.
Each mid-wife is responsible for one specific duty.
Each of these ancient female care givers has a name.
Their title and form of address, Mụ bà, equates to midwife (bà = older, respected woman).
*
Below is a list of each fairy godmother's title, name and responsibility. (Please excuse Google's attempt at translating.)
- Mụ bà Tran Tu Nu; giving birth.
- Mụ bà Van Tu Nuong; pregnancy.
- Mụ bà Lam Cuu Nuong; conceiving.
- Mụ bà Luu That Nuong; shaping male and female figures for the baby.
- Mụ bà. Lam Nhat Nuong; care of the fetus.
- Mụ bà Ly Dai Nuong; labor.
- Mụ bà Hua Dai Nuong; household.
- Mụ bà Cao Tu Nuong; living in the house.
- Mụ bà Tang Nuong Nuong; newborn babies.
- Mụ bà Nu Nuong; holding a child.
- Mụ bà Truc Ngu Nuong; child care.
- Mụ bà Nguyen Tam Nuong; the witnessing and supervision of childbirth.
The Vietnamese baby's one month old celebration, is NOT about the baby.
The celebration is about these good and ancient women.
So at the table, when you saw the baby bowing three times, the baby was thanking the mid-wives.
It is a one-off ‘thank you’ celebration.
The twelve fairy godmothers are hard-working, humble women (like all midwives).
They do not crave repeated thanks.
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The celebration is about these good and ancient women.
So at the table, when you saw the baby bowing three times, the baby was thanking the mid-wives.
It is a one-off ‘thank you’ celebration.
The twelve fairy godmothers are hard-working, humble women (like all midwives).
They do not crave repeated thanks.
*
SO, if they do not need repeated thanks,
then why does Vietnam have temples with Mụ bà shrines?
then why does Vietnam have temples with Mụ bà shrines?
There is one more duty that Vietnam's fairy godmothers carry out.
The twelve Mụ bà also help couples with infertility issues.
The twelve Mụ bà also help couples with infertility issues.
VIETNAM HISTORY, CULTURE
and OTHER GOOD STUFF.
Post by Paul Rowe 04/2020 HCMC, Vietnam.
and OTHER GOOD STUFF.
Post by Paul Rowe 04/2020 HCMC, Vietnam.