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Black and brown birthing bodies are in danger. Can the silenced traditions of Black midwives hold the key to saving them? When Kamara, a journalist, loses a sister to childbirth, she seeks the Black midwife wisdom that might have saved her. What follows is a journey through time to rediscover the wisdom of the ancestors, in order to reclaim the future.   

axes, herbs and satchels: open the archives is a tribute to the traditional wisdom of the Black midwife community and offers a powerful look at maternal mortality. This performance is an act of restorative history, providing a space for collective learning, reflection and healing. Devised by The Anthropologists. Co-directed & co-written by Sandie Luna and Melissa Moschitto.