Exploring the Impact of Colonization on Womb Health and Ancestral Healing Practices
La Matriz has always been a sacred language—one that colonial structures have tried to silence. The womb is more than a site of reproduction; it is the foundation of creation, intuition, and ancestral connection. Colonization has always sought to disrupt Indigenous knowledge systems and technologies, erasing our voices so they can commodify and capitalize on what was never theirs to claim.
For many Indigenous communities, La Matriz is a source of immense power, deeply woven into spiritual and medicinal traditions. Aztec and Nahua practices honored the womb as a sacred vessel of creation. Tonantzin embodied this reverence, representing the divine feminine and the creative force of life. Temazcals—still used today—serve as spaces for healing, purification, and rebirth, guided by elders, midwives, and healers. Curanderismo continues to uphold the importance of sobadas (womb massages), herbal medicine, and ritual in supporting fertility, pregnancy, and postpartum healing.
In Mayan traditions, Ixchel, the goddess of fertility and midwifery, guides individuals through their cycles. Parteras (midwives) provide care throughout pregnancy, using sobada Maya to heal trauma and bajos (herbal vaginal steams) to support menstrual health, postpartum recovery, and spiritual well-being.
Quechua and Aymara Andean traditions revere Pachamama, seeing the womb as a reflection of the land—when our bodies are neglected, the Earth suffers. Coca leaf readings offer insight into ancestral wisdom and womb wellness, while chumpi wrappings provide postpartum support, restoring balance after birth.
In Taíno midwifery, ruda (rue) and basil are used for fertility and healing, alongside cacao, which became integral to Caribbean traditions. The Caguana fertility goddess provided insight into lunar cycles and womb health, while Atabey, goddess of fresh waters and fertility, received offerings during ceremonial baths for healing and release.
Afro-Indigenous and Garifuna communities have preserved Indigenous healing practices while incorporating drumming and dance as sacred tools for reconnecting with the divine feminine, holding space for trauma release and deep healing.
Many of these traditions were suppressed or nearly lost, but they are now resurfacing as people seek to reconnect with their bodies through ancestral knowledge and wisdom.
Colonization, Medical Racism & Womb Health
Wherever colonization and gentrification take hold, Indigenous healing practices are demonized. European settlers and missionaries, both past and present, have vilified midwifery and traditional healers—branding them as witches or mentally unfit. Western medical models continue to dismiss these ancestral approaches, subjecting Indigenous women to harmful medical experimentation.
A stark example of this is the forced sterilization of Puerto Rican womxn, carried out through U.S. government-led campaigns. These procedures were performed without consent, laying the groundwork for a medical system steeped in racism and lacking culturally competent care.
The impact of colonization on womb health extends beyond physical harm—it also manifests as intergenerational trauma. Epigenetic research suggests that trauma alters gene expression, passing down changes that affect stress response, reproductive health, and hormonal balance. The forced separation of families, sexual violence, and the suppression of Indigenous knowledge have left lasting imprints on the womb lineage of colonized peoples.
Today, conditions like fibroids, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), endometriosis, and infertility disproportionately affect Black and Indigenous women. While these conditions have multiple causes, the legacy of colonization, systemic oppression, and environmental racism cannot be ignored.
Healing our wombs is more than a personal journey—it is an act of reclamation, resistance, and remembering.