Borucan Social Cohesion: Maternity, Allomaternity with Breastfeeding up until Puberty

 

Tallennettuna:
Bibliografiset tiedot
Tekijät: Rodríguez-Sánchez, Keilyn, Tapia Balladares, Javier
Aineistotyyppi: artículo original
Tila:Versión publicada
Julkaisupäivä:2025
Kuvaus:This article presents an ethnographic study on the practice and social function of co-maternity and breastfeeding among the Boruca, an indigenous group. We find these practices are possible due to a network of reciprocal relationships between related women and their children. These practices give older women access to companionship and affection and increase care and attention when they reach old age. Meanwhile, young allomothers receive an orientation to motherhood as they care for their siblings. This tradition ensures that a mother’s youngest child has a privileged place in the family while their siblings are cared for by allomothers. We show that cooperative breeding and allomaternal breastfeeding practices reinforce social integration and that these practices, that include breastfeeding up until puberty, promote cultural resistance through maternal and intergenerational family members.  Thus, maternal practices have supported cultural identity in an ethnicity that has continuously been exposed to diverse influences.
Maa:Portal de Revistas UCR
Organisaatio:Universidad de Costa Rica
Repositorio:Portal de Revistas UCR
Kieli:Inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:portal.revistas.ucr.ac.cr:article/1139
Linkit:https://revistas.ucr.ac.cr/index.php/rantropologia/article/view/1139
Sanahaku:Prolonged breastfeeding
Indigenous childhood
Human breeding
Co-maternity
Social cohesion
Amamantamiento prolongado
Infancia indígena
Co-maternidad
Crianza humana
Cohesión social