Indigenous Women Revive Ancestral Midwifery Against Globalization's Tide

Three Indigenous women have led projects to preserve and revive traditional maternal health knowledge in their communities. Their work highlights the deep ecological and cultural roots of Indigenous midwifery and medicine. Each project aims to strengthen these practices against the pressures of modern globalisation. Thalia Jiménez Tomas, a Ngäbe woman, co-founded the Ngäbe Women Leaders of Siaola. Her project, Maternal Health as a Vision for Ngäbe Youth, helped restore intercultural maternal health knowledge among Ngäbe midwives and women. The initiative builds on care practices developed over generations, rooted in ecological wisdom and communal relationships.

Cenia Kaina Córdova Pichamba, from the Kichwa Otavalo people, created the Yuyakuna project. This effort documents and recognises Indigenous midwifery knowledge, compiling it into a photobook. She also organised a gathering of Kichwa midwives to share expertise and build a support network for women in the community. The project seeks to protect ancestral knowledge from being lost to globalisation.

Gabriela Garibello Daza, a Muisca woman, co-founded the Tinizí Indigenous Collective. As an apprentice in Muisca ancestral medicine and midwifery, she launched the Escuela de Formación en Medicina Natural de Mujer y Partería Tradicional Muisca. This school focuses on preserving and teaching traditional women’s medicine and midwifery practices. All three women received support through Cultural Survival’s Indigenous Youth Fellowship Program, which encourages the intergenerational sharing of ancestral knowledge. These projects safeguard Indigenous maternal health traditions for future generations. They ensure that knowledge passed down over centuries remains alive and accessible. The work also strengthens cultural identity and resilience within their communities.