Whenua ki te Whenua : Empowerment through Home Birth is an exhibition/auction addressing issues for families surrounding the wonderful event of birth. Whenua is the Maori name for afterbirth and is also the same name used for the land. When a Maori baby is born it is customary to bury the baby's afterbirth in the ground. As we come from the land, so too shall the connection to the land be re-enforced through the giving of the afterbirth to a special place in the land.Whenua ki te Whenua : Empowerment through Home Birth is an exhibition/auction addressing issues for families surrounding the wonderful event of birth. Whenua is the Maori name for afterbirth and is also the same name used for the land. When a Maori baby is born it is customary to bury the baby's afterbirth in the ground. As we come from the land, so too shall the connection to the land be re-enforced through the giving of the afterbirth to a special place in the land.This 'sacred' custom experienced a large decline through the introduction of western medicine and hospitals. It was at that time, that the most natural thing in the world, childbirth (that women had been doing since goodness knows when!), was taken to the place where people go when they are sick (the hospital). In turn, childbirth has been treated more from the viewpoint of 'you have a problem that needs to be fixed' rather than 'what is happening to you is a natural, wonderful event that will soon bring into this world a gift so precious, the gift of life'.

This exhibition celebrates the option of Home Birth and the re-introduction of traditional birthing practices as safe ways of making the birth of a precious new baby even more special.

Funds raised will go towards Homebirth Aotearoa and our struggling artists. Your support would be greatly appreciated.

Artworks will be auctioned on trade me 24th October - 31 October on www.trademe.co.nz