GREEK CULTURE ON PREGNANCY

Greek Culture on Pregnancy

Bradley Keown
N320
Kapiolani Community College

GREEK CULTURE ON PREGNANCY

Greek Culture on Pregnancy

Greece is located at the southeast end of Europe, with its other side surrounded by the
Mediterranean Sea. The ethnic grouping of Greece is about 98% Greek natives; with Turks,
Albanians, Macedonians, Bulgarians, Armenians, and gypsies making up the minorities. Greece
is a nearly 80% mountainous area, known for producing high quality olives, sea sponges and
marble. Greeks are a very superstitious people, while also being very religious.
In Greece, healthcare costs like prenatal care, labor and delivery are all covered through a
nationalized healthcare system provided by the federal government. At the moment, Greece has
one of the lowest birthrates in the world, in part due to the current economic status being so
negative. Because of this, the Greek government has implemented several pro-birth polices to
help families feel more confident in being able to afford children. Of course, there are still
private hospitals with better care for those that can afford it.
Women who are employed for over 200 days are eligible for maternity benefit that pays
for 56 days before birth and 63 days after, so long as they do not work during this time.
Employed mothers are also able to obtain an additional six months of protected maternity leave
and reduced work hours at the end of their 63 days post-birth. There is also a birth benefit that is
a onetime payment of 30 times the day wage of an unskilled worker. The reduced work hours
consist of 1 hour less per day for 2 years or 3 months unpaid leave.
While there are not many traditions for the antepartum mother and baby, there are several
in regards to the birth of the child. For beginners, there is an old custom that there shouldnt be
any knots in the birthing room, because it was thought they held maleficent powers that could
prevent or delay a birth. Following the birth, relatives will come by with customary gifts for the

GREEK CULTURE ON PREGNANCY

baby, typically special stones or silver and gold coins to help ward off the evil eye. Sometimes
people will place the objects under the head of the baby. The evil eye is a term referring to the
jealous or envious look given by others that see someone elses happiness and can cause harm or
bad luck to them. An additional way to ward this effect is to spit 3 times after the incident,
although today people normally just mime the action.
The new child is typically named after their grandparents or a religious saint. If
the latter is done, they will have a Name Day, which is a specific day of each year that is
celebrated by the church. This day is normally more important than birthdays in Greek culture
and is celebrated in much the same way. However, the baby is not called by name typically, until
he or she is baptized, which occurs generally between 40 days to year after birth. During this
time, the mother and baby will avoid going out into public to avoid the evil eye and they will
avoid cutting the babys hair. The babys clothes should not be washed and air-dried, as this can
attract evil spirits.
In conclusion, the Greek culture is an old and vibrant set of traditions that are steeped in
superstition and religious overtones. Greek sailors found their way to Hawaii in the 1830s and
setup small communities on Oahu and the Big Island. Their decedents supported the monarchy
and participated in the movement to restore the queen to the throne after the overthrow of
government. After suffering business losses for these activities, they reluctantly accommodated
to annexation. Since then more families have migrated here and helped to establish a Greek
church, which is now the center of Orthodoxy in Hawaii. In short, it is possible to treat women
this culture even here in Hawaii.
! (na sas zisei) May the baby have a good life.

GREEK CULTURE ON PREGNANCY

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References

Greek Festival: Honolulu Hawaii. (n.d.) Retrieved from

http://greekfestivalhawaii.com/greek-blogs/greeks-in-hawaii/
Greece. (n.d.) Retrieved from
http://www.everyculture.com/Ge-It/Greece.html#ixzz3oDTonVO0
Having a Baby in Greece. (n.d.) Retrieved from
http://athens.angloinfo.com/information/healthcare/pregnancy-birth/