Cornell University Library Digital Collections
Eastern Penan Woman with a baby in a maternity hut, with another woman in the background
- Title (English):
- Eastern Penan Woman with a baby in a maternity hut, with another woman in the background
- Collection:
- Perema: Digital Museum of Penan Culture
- Set:
- Penan Cultural Digital Museum
The Penan people along the Baram
- Photographer:
- Morrison, Hedda
- Creation Date:
- 1955-1965
- Location:
- Sarawak, Malaysia
- ID Number:
- RMM04516_b15_v01_016
- Collection Number:
- 4516
- File Name:
- RMM04516_b15_v01_016.jpg
- Work Type:
- photographs
- Materials/Techniques:
- black-and-white photographs
- Subject:
- Penan hut
lamin sere' (maternity hut)
family
customs
Penan youth
Penan woman
Eastern Penan
Ngeleboo’ (Penan hut)
- Description:
- The maternity hut is called a lamin sere'. Sere' means "to lean on something" in the Penan language. The Penan do not have any way of counting and keeping track of months, but women who have just given birth will generally stay at the lamin sere' for three weeks to a month before starting to move around, although the exact duration of the stay depends on the individual's condition. Back pains are treated using boiling water mixed with flour. During a woman's first birth, she will be held and assisted by another individual; but during the birth of her second child, her husband will be responsible for holding her stomach to ensure the baby is delivered properly.
Person/people pictured from the Eastern Penan indigenous group.
- Source:
- Image source: 'The Penan people along the Baram' photobook by Hedda Morrison.
Metadata source: Garen Jengan, James Lalo and the Penan community of Long Lamai.
- Cite As:
- Hedda Morrison photographs, #4516. Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library.
- Related Work:
- An alternate printing of this image in "Penans of Sarawak" is available as an "additional view".
- Repository:
- Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library
- Archival Collection:
- Hedda Morrison photographs
- Box:
- 15
- Format:
- Image
- Rights:
- Cornell University holds the copyright to this item and provides access to this item for research and personal use. The written permission of any copyright and other rights holders is required for distribution, reproduction, or other use that extends beyond what is authorized by fair use and other statutory exemptions. Responsibility for making an independent legal assessment of an item and securing any necessary permissions ultimately rests with persons desiring to use the item. Inquiries regarding reproductions of and/or permissions to use this item may be sent to rareref@cornell.edu.
