Cultural Diversity, Childbearing and Childrearing in Pakistan: A Study in Change

Abstract

Childbearing and childrearing as quintessential activities of human groups have been laced by a host of rituals and customs engendered by their religious and cultural beliefs and worldviews, expressed uninhibitedly in their folklore. This study takes Pakistan, owing to its rich diversity of cultures, as a universe. Here 18 ethnic groups have been studied to make their profile of customs and rituals associated with childbirth and infancy, through interviewing 144 mothers. It helped in having an insight into deep seated emotions, desires, fears, hopes, as well as their celebrations or otherwise, as is seen in case of baby girls. By comparing old and young mothers, a trend of change is detected, confirming the flattening of diversity as the global culture is taking over