Maternal and infant mortality in Ende is still high, but research related a
social science is rare. The cultural aspect and medical factors such as the lack
of primary health care services are also play a role. This study aims are to
identifying and formulate the local cultural transformation as a way to solve
maternal and infant mortality. This ethnographic research was conducted in
2013. The study carried not only interviews, but also observation towards
reproductive-age women, heads of family, traditional birth attendants,
doctors, midwives, local leaders, adat leaders, pastors and sisters, local
government officials, and head of health district at Ende. Data is analysed
phenomenologically. The strong belief to adat and local tradition has
implication to people’s attitude towards traditional birth attendants.
Traditional birth attendants hold superior position in the community. They
also have strong influence due to their ability to massage, correctly guess
infant’s sex, reposition infant in the womb, and stop bleeding during labor.
Maternal and/or infant mortality has nothing to do with traditional birth
attendants because local people believe that such case happens as a result of
hex or black magic called ru’u. Anemia, bleeding, food taboo, and incorrect
diet pattern worsen the overall condition of pregnant women. Cultural
transformation is done by alternating TBAs practices in massaging pregnant
women. TBAs are encouraged to massage pregnant women’s back instead of
stomach since pregnant women often have to deal with low back pain during
pregnancy