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If there is one thing I am realizing as I seek a global perspective on this issue , it is that the diverse and unique cultural dynamics around the world have a significant impact on people’s understanding of the value of life. This is vividly illustrated in a website I recently discovered.
From the Hakani website:
“There are topics that no one likes to speak about. When an indigenous woman from the Arawa tribe, in the Amazon, leaves to give birth no one
will go with her. This is a moment that is uniquely hers. She leaves on
her own, even if she is very young and is having her first baby. She
looks for a tree or bush that she can lean on; she crouches and then
faces the pain. It is then, at the time of childbirth, that this young
mother has the great responsibility of deciding the future of the
child. She can only keep the baby, if he/she is perfect.
“If for any reason, she returns home without the baby in her arms,
silence falls. No one asks what happened. Not even the father of the
child, or the grandparents, not even her best friend. The young mother
lies down in her hammock, many times without courage or strength, even
to cry. The matter ends right there. No one asks why she returned
without her baby. The mother will have to deal on her own, in silence,
for the rest of her life, with the memory of this curse, this bad luck,
and this unhappiness. Sometimes, you can hear in the distance, the
muffled cries of the child, abandoned to die in the forest. The crying
only stops when the child loses consciousness or when some wild animal
devours him. Or when some relative, annoyed by the persistent crying,
decides to silence it with an arrow or a club. After this, there is
total silence.
“Infanticide is taboo. Just as the subject is avoided in indigenous
societies, it is also avoided in our society. No one talks about it, no
one confronts it, and no one takes a stand against it. The most
comfortable position is one of omission – omission, many times
disguised as respect for cultural difference.”
We are encouraged to respect diversity and honor cultural differences. But what do we do when those cultural traditions include burying children alive?
Hakani didn’t develop like the other children when she was small. Even at two years old, she did not walk or talk. As a result, her tribe put pressure on her parents to kill her. Rather than take the life of their daughter, her parents took their own lives, leaving behind Hakani and four other orphaned children.
Her oldest brother, now held responsible by the tribe to kill Hakani, buried her alive. She was rescued, but due to the demands of tradition, was abandoned to live for the next three years on rain water, bark, leaves, and insects, and occasionally, scraps of food one of her brothers smuggled to her. During those years, she endured unimaginable abuse and neglect.
Eventually her brother, Bibi, rescued her, carrying her to the home of a YWAM missionary couple who had been working for 20 years with the Suruwaha Indians in the Amazon Basin. At five and a half years of age; she weighed 15 pounds and was 27 inches long.
Today Hakani is twelve years old and lives with a bright, laughing smile. She dances, sings and loves art. Her voice today is a voice for life.
You can learn more about Hakani along with the stories of other children rescues from infanticide at hakani.org. |
August 13th, 2009 on 12:29 pm
Hello,
I am a fairly new author of a book entitled: NAILS Necessary Atonement In Lamb’s Sacrifice (a book of Spiritual Acronyms) The Lord healed me of cancer 20 years ago at a Carman concert. The night I was healed the Lord started giving me acronyms. One of the first was F.A.I.T.H. Fulfilment Arrives In Trusting Him and then H.E.A.L.I.N.G. Having Every Ailment Leave Its Now Gods. Recently the Lord has put a burden on my heart about Abortion. He has given me the following acronyms and I wish to bring them to your attention to help save the lives of the unborn and educate everyone else. These will be in my second book B.E.A.S.T. Bible Exposes All Satans Tricks. Thank you for taking the time to read them. I pray they can help in anyway.
A.B.O.R.T.I.O.N. A Belief Of Reform To Intentionally Operate NOW
A.B.O.R.T.I.O.N. A Brutal Operation Removing The Innocent One Needlessly
A.B.O.R.T.I.O.N. Arrogant Betrayal Of Removal, Torturing Intentionally, Out-casting Needlessly
A.B.O.R.T.I.O.N. Abstinence Before Our Relationship Turns into Our Negligence
A.B.O.R.T.I.O.N.S. A Babies Outcome Ruined To Intentional One Night-Stands
A.D.O.P.T.I.O.N. Abortion Doesn’t Offer People The Intimacy Of Nurturing
A.F.F.A.I.R. A Fraudulent Fantasy Attacking Individuals Relationships
Be Encouraged,
Misty McGlugritch
Author
405 641-7508