Rationalization of Health in Java : A Historical Portrait of Dukun Bayi in Java to the Present∗

Abstract

This study focuses on the process of rationalizing health in Java with the central issue of dukun bayi or
traditional birth attendants from the colonial era to the present day. This research tries to explain how
to integrate dukun bayi into modern medicine carried out by the Dutch colonial government and
continued by the Indonesian government after independence. In Java since 1851, there has been an o
cial attempt by the government to realize training for dukun bayi by establishing a training center for
native midwives. Similar e orts was then continued after the Indonesia’s independence through the
training conducted by the Department of Health assisted by the local health center. The dukun bayi,
played a significant role at the beginning of giving birth process but also has a powerful magical
element, however, their role in this present days is reduced to being a baby masseur