Not only for Stanislav Grof with his researched Perinatal Basic Matrices (PGM), but also for the tribe of the Likatier, birth represents an extremely important transitional event, which shapes and influences our life very much and which should be dealt with in a meaningful way.

Births in the middle of the tribe The births in the Likatier tribe usually take place at home. Only in emergencies will medical help be sought. In the meantime more than 100 children have been born in the tribe. Depending on the wishes of the mother, many tribal women are present, most of whom have already had children, often also young interested girls, the midwife and sometimes the father. Birth is usually seen as a matter for women. The fathers are sometimes there at their own request, but usually stay in the background. Birth is not a "private event" in the tribe of the Likatians, but takes place "in the middle of tribal life", whereby of course every woman can decide freely whether and which people she would like to have at her side during the birth.

The women try to be close to the mother in the process of birth and encourage her to open herself completely. For the expectant mother it is often helpful to give birth in the presence of experienced women. Even if she realizes that she has to cope with the birth completely on her own, the other women are comfort and help. They can encourage women to overcome fears and "go beyond borders". Young girls have experienced many births in the tribe. For them, "birth" is not a sterile affair that takes place completely separately in an anonymous hospital, but is a part of their life in the tribe, where they gain important experiences for their own "birth" as mothers.

 

Birth and Therapy

During the birth, the woman is in a state of emergency. Here it becomes quite clear in which state of consciousness the woman is. As naked as she has to bear the child, so naked is the reality for the woman at this moment. Here, fears of life and blockages become clearly visible and at the same time the moments of birth are opportunities to turn more to life. The tribal members try to allow all feelings to arise during the birth, which can be recorded on tape or video if desired. The mother usually writes a report after the birth. On the basis of this material, the tribal members deal with their personality structures. The transitions of life are not only crises, but also important development aids to more liveliness. Birth for the child

Birth for the child

For the children, too, birth is a borderline experience and a very incisive experience. In the Likatier tribe, women try to create an environment in which the child is gently and lovingly received in the "new world". The child should be able to rest as long as possible on the mother's stomach. Physical contact and a relaxed atmosphere are important in order to arrive. The unfeeling routine common in hospitals, with the early cutting of the umbilical cord, combined with the often common choking trauma of the child, measuring, weighing, changing, dressing as well as first medical interventions such as blood sampling and vitamin K prophylaxis etc. are usually rejected in the Likatier tribe. The child is also measured etc., but rather incidentally and without the usual rough separation from the mother. Vaccinations are considered questionable by the tribal members due to the latest medical findings in the first days after birth. Over the next few days, the new child will be visited by many liqueurs, neighbours, friends and relatives and welcomed into the tribe. When the mother is back on her feet, the first celebration takes place - a naming ceremony for the child.