We are raising funds on behalf of Lazaiah & Anthony to attend the 2025 Gathering of the Global Council of Indigenous Midwives on O’ahu from April 13- April 20, 2025. Their mom & aunties are attending this gathering as Birth Navigators in order to reclaim and remember traditional indigenous birthing practices in service of improving pregnancy, birth & postpartum outcomes for Pasefika moms & babies.
It is important to these youth to get to attend this conference because we need the next generation of our Pacific community to EXPERIENCE that a different world is possible. That just because we live in the concrete ocean we don't have to let go of the cultural practices passed down from our ancestors that guide and protect us.
If Lazaiah & Anthony are able to attend the conference with the Birth Navigators from SF they will get to learn about :
- Traditional Pacific foods crops like 'ulu (breadfruit), niu (coconut) lu'au & kalo (taro leaf & tuber) and will get to work in a lo'i - the traditional space where Kanaka in Hawai'i grow kalo;
- Traditional food preparation like pounding & fermenting taro to make poi, a nutritious food that is given to babies as their first food after breastmilk;
- Traditional Pacific body work like lomi, fofo & lomi a'e as an integral part of community health;
- Connecting & communicating with elders in a cultural setting - how to show respect, how to move, how to serve;
- The Kukaniloko Birth Stones where ali'i (royalty) used to give birth in olden times;
- Cultural practices around preparing and sharing food, including praying over the meals;
- Different indigenous languages - 'olelo Hawai'i, gagana Samoa, te reo Maori and others;
- Birth! Pregnancy! Postpartum! all from traditional indigenous birth experts from around the world.
This is a life-changing opportunity for these young people to get to travel and learn through first-hand experience about traditions and practices that are their birth right but are not available to them in San Francisco.
These funds will cover the cost of two round trip tickets and luggage for Anthony & Lazaiah. We need :
- 80 people to donate $25, or
- 40 people to donate $50, or
- 20 people to donate $100, or
- Whatever you can contribute!! Every dollar counts <3
IF you made it this far- thank you for reading!! We hope you feel moved to support us in making this dream come true!
Organizer and beneficiary
LaCricia Peleseuma
Beneficiary