Aïscha Chalana Tomasoa
Long before I stepped into birth work, I learned through kinship. I grew up in a Moluccan family in diaspora, where community meant survival. Joy and grief lived in togetherness and this shaped the way that I care. As an adult I continued this way of life by volunteering and working in international communities.
Giving birth abroad twice, showed me that our society has zero care for mothers.
This experience launched me onto the path of my purpose, because I knew that my grandmothers held the knowledge that could fill this gap. I studied Urut Isiwa, our traditional postpartum healing system, and went through intensive apprenticeship followed by ceremonial initiation by my guru, elders and community.
I hold many roles when I care for a family, but consistent presence is the factor that allows space for transformation. For the past 5 years I have supported families English, Danish and Dutch speaking families throughout Europe as a postpartum doula.
Mana Mahina
Mana — new, renewed
Mahina — daughter, girl, female
Words chosen from Hatuhaha , the indigenous language from my ancestors. Loosely translated this means "renewed daughter" or "she who returns new" — because postpartum isn't just recovery, it's matresence — a woman being transformed into a new self. In our society we have forgotten that a mother is still a daughter who needs care, but at Mana Mahina you are remembered as a daughter in transformation, in need of being held, and made new.