A child is born (#4)

A child is born

“The city of Bento Gonçalves, Rio Grande do Sul sits at the bottom of a valley surrounded by mountains covered in wheat, barley and shiny, green grapevines. People there speak in loud voices, with hand gestures accompanying their words − the city was originally settled by Italian immigrants. After industry began to replace agriculture, hospitals appeared and progress did away with many old traditions, including midwives who made house-calls. But many people in Bento Gonçalves still rely on Dona Odila rather than an obstetrician. This is the story of one of her births.” (article published in Realidade magazine, January, 1967 with text by Narciso Kalili)

Andujar went to Bento Gonçalves in December of 1966 to photograph Dona Odila's work routine for an article that contrasts traditional customs with advances in medicine. The article accompanied a natural home birth and became famous for publishing a photo of a woman giving birth, causing this issue of the magazine to be seized by the authorities.