Leago (203 days / 29 weeks) 01    00:09:24

Leago | Awareness of Camera, Bathing, Culture, Drive, Mimicking, Pleasure, Self-regulation, Skin

Leago is in his plastic bathtub. Mom is washing him. He is sitting upright and balancing by himself. Mom stands him up to wash him. He appears sturdy on his feet. When mom sits Leago down he splashes in the water with mom’s response of “Shew!” Mom lies Leago down to wash his hair. He looks up at her smiling.

Leago is lifted out of the bath and placed on a towel on the bed to be rubbed, dried and dressed. He has his woolen threads tied around his body and wrists and his beaded necklace. He looks at the filmmaker. Mom dries his penis which has recently been circumcised. He makes a few noises but continues to watch the filmmaker and vocalises in high-pitched staccato sounds. Mom repeats the sounds before using her own, now familiar, vocalisations. Leago sits firmly upright and mom rubs and then brushes his hair. She gives him the box of grooming tools to play with and he looks at them carefully while also partly pulling away from the brushing. Then mom lies him down, with some protestation, and begins to rub cream on his body. Leago vocalises high pitched sounds while smiling.

NOTE: The following note is provided by someone familiar with the cultural practices of Leago’s family: During the post-partum period both mother and infant need to be protected from outside intrusions and from evil spirits and the gossip and judgement of unsupportive members of the community. The woollen strings around Leago’s chest, waist and wrists are intended to protect the child from evil spirits of this world.

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