Shanan Nagaa: Protecting the Sacred First Five Days for Oromo Mothers and Newborns

Connect tradition with modern wellness

In Oromo culture, the Shanan—the sacred five-day period following childbirth—is a time of profound communal celebration, rest, and ritual welcoming of a new soul into the world. As families prepare for this beautiful tradition, health experts and cultural elders are now collaborating to weave essential health safeguards into these ancient practices, ensuring that the joy of Shanan is protected by modern knowledge of postpartum and newborn care. This is how communities can honor tradition while actively preventing health risks for mothers and infants.”

CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE: Frame protection as an act of respect

Shanan is not just a celebration; it is a ‘Seera Lubbuu’—a law of life—designed to protect the mother’s ayyaana (spirit) as she transitions and to gently introduce the newborn to the world,” says elder midwife Arfaattuu Worknesh Dejene. “Our ancestors created this container of rest for a reason. Protecting Shanan today means updating the ‘how’ without losing the ‘why’: the wellness of mother and child.

Blending tradition and safety

The elder’s role is to guard the mother’s peace,” explains Arfaattuu Almaz Bekele. “We now add a new duty: to be a health sentinel. If the mother has a fever, or bleeding increases, we don’t just pray—we know the number for the ambulance and have a car ready. Protecting tradition means protecting her life first.

The Peaceful Newborn

We bless the child with gentle touches and soft songs, not with many passing hands,” says grandmother Ayyantu Kadiro Elemo. “We tell visitors: ‘Your blessing is in your prayer from the doorway. The mother’s arms are the child’s first shrine.’ This protects the baby from germs and overstimulation.

PROTECTION AS THE HIGHEST BLESSING

The greatest blessing we can give a new mother and her child during Shanan is not just our presence, but our protection. By wrapping our ancient traditions in a mindful embrace of modern health wisdom, we do not dilute our culture—we fortify it. We ensure that the sacred first five days become a foundation of health, not a memory of risk. In doing so, we honor the deepest Oromo principle of all: that the safety and nagaa of the most vulnerable among us is the true measure of our community’s strength. Baga Shanan Nagaa!—May it be a peaceful, protected Shanan.