I am stunned to learn the news that they are denied entry to a certain exposure to pregnant women. A museum in New Zealand recommends pregnant women or not to visit a sample of Maori art because it can be "dangerous", causing considerable stir.
We are not talking about a country where women's rights are not taken into account, but New Zealand, and the recommendations also include women who have menstruation.
Michelle Hippolite is the indigenous leader who advises the Te Papa Museum in Wellington. She explained that some of the Maori artifacts exhibited in the exhibition may have been used in wars or in 'tangi' or funeral practices.
Some Maori tribes believe that seeing this type of relics is harmful to fertility and pregnancy, and in the invitation sent to the public they warn women of it.
The Maori believe that the 'taonga' have a 'wairua' spirit inside that can appear to pregnant women or have the rule, so the museum asks them to refrain from visiting the exhibition for now.
All this reminds me of some conversation we have had on another occasion with our readers about the superstitions associated with women and their periods. Surely more than one you have been told not to do mayonnaise or water the plants if you are with menstruation.
And although this recommendation (or "prohibition") could rather be a marketing strategy to raise awareness of Maori culture, I am of the opinion that these things are not played, and only women were missing to be hinted at the prohibition of entry to a museum.
So some discrimination I do observe in this New Zealand museum that recommends pregnant women not to see an exhibition. Surely in the Maori culture there are other customs that exalt women, mothers, fertility: there could have been advertising of the exhibition.
