Abstract
Food taboos are studied from varied perspectives. Breastfeeding, antenatal, and postnatal practices in most of the cultures have a special place: certain taboos are often attached to them. Breastfeeding has a plethora of positive health outcomes for infant and mother alike. Some of these practices are taboos, like abstention from feeding the newborn with mother’s milk immediately after birth or for some stipulated period. Or restrictions placed on would-be or new mothers from consumption of certain food items. This article shows that breastfeeding is natural, and its benefits accrue to the Koya Dora, while “antenatal” and “postnatal” food taboos are from outside. We conclude that Koya Dora breastfeed their children in harmony and as expected, while the food taboos do occur due to outside influences rather than as one expects would occur due to local cultural environmental reasons.
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