Abstract
A study was carried out on the traditional knowledge of plants used in mandi serom, a traditional post-partum bath among the Malays in the state of Kedah, Malaysia. In Malay culture, mandi serom is an essential treatment after childbirth. Information was obtained from 15 Malay midwives (bidan kampung) through interviews, and also by observing and participating in their activities during each visit. A total of 40 species of plants were collected during the botanical surveys. The species are dominated by trees, followed by zingibers, herbaceous, shrubs, and climbers. Plant parts most commonly used are leaves, whole plant, bark, seeds, bulb, flowers, roots, and gall. Only three species are similarly used by all the midwives which are Cymbopogon nardus (serai wangi), Lawsonia inermis (inai), and Pandanus amaryllifolius (pandan). The majority of Malay women in Kedah put their trust in midwives to conduct mandi serom during the post-partum confinement period. The plants are used to rid the body of odour, for spiritual cleansing, for hygienic purposes, and to ward off mystical forces known as makhluk halus in Malay culture. They believe that without proper formulation from the midwife, mandi serom may not be healing and effectual. This is the first systematic study of Malay post-partum bath (mandi serom) in northern Malaysia. This study helps to preserve traditional knowledge of Malay midwifery practice and protect Malay natural heritage, and at the same time, these new ethnobotanical records can be subjected to clinical studies and serve as a guideline for women health care in Malaysia.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Alexiades, M. N. (1996). Collecting ethnobotanical data: An introduction to basic concepts and techniques. Advances in Economic Botany, 10, 53–96.
Alexiades, M. N., & Sheldon, J. W. (Eds.). (1996). Selected guidelines for ethnobotanical research: A field manual. New York: The New York Botanical Garden Press.
Bandaranayake, W. M. (1998). Traditional and medicinal uses of mangroves. Mangroves and Salt Marshes, 2(1), 137.
Barakbah, A. (2007). Ensiklopedia Perbidanan Melayu. Utusan Publication and Distributors Sdn. Bhd.
Bourdy, G., & Walter, A. (1992). Maternity and medicinal plants in Vanuatu I. The cycle of reproduction. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 37(3), 179–196.
Chen, P. C. (1981). Traditional and modern medicine in Malaysia. Social Science & Medicine. Part A: Medical Psychology & Medical Sociology, 15(2), 127–136.
Coe, F. G. (2008). Rama midwifery in Eastern Nicaragua. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 117(1), 136–157.
Gollin, L. (2004). Subtle and profound sensory attributes of medicinal plants among the Kenyah leppo’ ke of east Kalimantan, Borneo. Journal of Ethnobiology, 2(4), 173–201.
Green, G., Bradby, H., Chan, A., & Lee, M. (2006). “We are not completely Westernised”: Dualmedical systems and pathways to health care among Chinese migrant women in England. Social Science and Medicine, 6(2), 1498–1507.
Hamilton, A. C. (2004). Medicinal plants, conservation and livelihoods. Biodiversity and Conservation, 13(5), 1477–1517.
Hasan, Z. (2007). Beauty is beyond skin deep: Traditional treatments for women. Serdang, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute, MARDI.
Ishak, N. (2012). A study on plant materials selection in traditional Malay midwifery practices as potential softscape elements in Malay garden. Kuala Lumpur: International Islamic University Malaysia.
Jamal, J. A., Ghafar, Z. A., & Husain, K. (2011). Medicinal plants used for postnatal care in Malay traditional medicine in the Peninsular Malaysia. Pharmacognosy Journal, 3(24), 15–24.
Jain, A., Katewa, S. S., Chaudhary, B. L., & Galav, P. (2004). Folk herbal medicines used in birth control and sexual diseases by tribals of Southern Rajasthan, India. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 90(1), 171–177.
Kim, S. L., & Lean, K. S. (2013). Herbal medicines: Malaysian women’s knowledge and practice. In Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine.
Lamxay, V., de Boer, H. J., & Björk, L. (2011). Traditions and plant use during pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum recovery by the Kry ethnic group in Lao PDR. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine, 7(14), 1–15.
Martin, G. J. (1995). Ethnobotany: A methods manual. People and plants conservation manual. London: Chapman and Hall.
McNeely, J. A. (2005). Biological and cultural diversity: The double helix of sustainable development. In J. T. Arnason, P. M. Catling, E. Small, P. T. Dang, & J. D. H. Lambert (Eds.), Biodiversity and health; focusing research to policy (pp. 3–9). Ottawa: NRC Press.
Min, B. C., Omar-Hor, K., & Chow Lin, O. Y. (2006). 1001 garden plants in Singapore. Singapore: National Parks Board.
Nigenda, G., Ruiz, J. A., & Bejarano, R. (2006). University-trained nurses in Mexico: An assessment of educational atrition and labor wastage. Salud Pública de México, 48(1), 22–29.
Samy, J., Sugumaran, M., & Lee, K. L. (2005). In K. M. Wong (Ed.), Herbs of Malaysia: An introduction to the medicinal, culinary, aromatic and cosmetic use of herbs. Times Editions.
Sein, K. K. (2013). Beliefs and practices surrounding postpartum period among Myanmar women. Midwifery, 29(11), 1257–1263.
Singh, Y. N., Ikahihifo, T., Panuve, M., & Slatter, C. (1984). Folk medicine in Tonga. A study on the use of herbal medicines for obstetric and gynaecological conditions and disorders. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 12(3), 305–329.
Ticktin, T., & Dalle, S. P. (2005). Medicinal plant use in the practice of midwifery in rural Honduras. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 96(1), 233–248.
Torri, M. C. (2013). Perceptions and uses of plants for reproductive health among traditional midwives in Ecuador: Moving towards intercultural pharmacological practices. Midwifery, 29(7), 809–817.
Werner, R. (2002). Medicines in malay villages, Vol. 2. University of Malaya Press.
Whitaker, E. D. (2003). The idea of health: History, medical pluralism, and the management of the body in Emilia-Romagna, Italy. Medical Anthropology Quarterly, 17(3), 348–375.
Zakaria, M., & Mohd, M. A. (2010). Traditional Malay medicinal plants. Kuala Lumpur: Institut Terjemahan Negara Malaysia.
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank the Malay midwives who were willing to contribute to the study towards the development of knowledge on medicinal plants and preservation of Malay traditional knowledge.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2018 Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.
About this paper
Cite this paper
Razak, N.I.A., Othman, R., Pahang, J.T. (2018). Ethnobotanical Study on Plant Materials Used in Malay Traditional Post-partum Bath (Mandi Serom) Among Malay Midwives in Kedah. In: Saian, R., Abbas, M. (eds) Proceedings of the Second International Conference on the Future of ASEAN (ICoFA) 2017 – Volume 2. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-8471-3_88
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-8471-3_88
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore
Print ISBN: 978-981-10-8470-6
Online ISBN: 978-981-10-8471-3
eBook Packages: Social SciencesSocial Sciences (R0)