In case you missed the recent headlines, Sandra Bullock, Oscar-award winning actress, adopted a baby boy, Louis Bardo Bullock from New Orleans. Unless you are really living under a shell, Sandra was married to Jesse James who decided that sleeping with umpteen other women was more important than his commitment to Sandy and their future adopted child. They planned to adopt Louis together. Now, Sandy is leaving Jesse and adopting Louis as a single mom.
Her award-winning performance in the Blind Side helped bring to light the love you can feel for a child who is not your biological child. In fact, during her acceptance speech she may have just been giving us a hint at what she was secretly experiencing when she stated "I would like to thank what this film is about for me - the moms that take care of the babies and the children no matter where they come from. Those moms and parents never get thanked."
So, I want to wish all moms- my mom,my stepmother, birth mothers, adoptive mothers, pregnant women, prospective adoptive mothers and those "non-traditional" mothers who help raise children- a wonderful Mother's Day!
And, if you are looking for something fun to do on Mother's Day take her to see Babies, the documentary follows four babies across Mongolia, Tokyo, Namibia and San Francisco through their first year of life.
I introduced you to the now famous babies in a previous post. Now meet Tarererua, Ponijao's mom, who is from Namibia. You can learn about all the moms at: www.filminfocus.com/article/babies___meet_the_parents.
Tarererua and Ponijao
What made you decide to commit you and your family to participating in the movie?
Tarererua [Ponijao's mother]: When Hindere [Ponijao's father] and I heard about this project, we were not believing that it was true. [Since] I have never been in the hospital, I wanted to be [part of the] shooting so that I could take [the production up on the offer of care] by the private doctor. Hindere agreed; [the production would] take my baby [and I] to the hospital without taking my money, or [our having to be] selling one of our goats to get money.
Thomas asked how the other people [in the village would be] feeling [about the filmmakers working there]. I said, first we have to inform the Chief of the village that [these are] our visitors from France so that he can understand why they come. We were happy to be with Thomas. We welcomed Thomas like [a member of] our family. Each time when he [was] coming [for a new stay], we are kissing each other like a family.
We welcomed these [film] people to be in our home; they were helping the whole family, not only Ponijao. During shooting, they [would] buy food for the family and give some money, take them [i.e., family members] to the hospital.
One of my kids is already going to school; he's in grade 10 now. He can write for us, all my kids' names. Two [more children], a boy and a girl [are] going to school. The others stay home and look after the animals.
So, Ponijao is a movie star now, and a little older...
T: Ponijao is [now] two-and-a-half years old, trying to be three years old. She likes to dance, all day, playing with other kids. We eat fish with her, porridge and milk.
What were your and Ponijao's reactions to the movie?
T: I was afraid that the cow was very close with the baby [in Mongolia]. When the baby who was playing [i.e., Mari] and was trying to put something on a pole, then she fell down, I was thinking the mother [did] not hear the woefulness of the baby's crying. I wanted to tell the mother to be close to the baby. The one playing with the toilet papers [i.e., Bayarjargal] was the most happy baby; he can play [by] himself. She was very happy [watching the movie]. She said to me, "This is me. I'm there. This is my mother. These are my brothers. This is my sister." She can see that [family members] would carry her and take care of her. When she is grown up, she can know what [was] happening when she [was] a baby. I wanted this gift for her.
Ponijao was laughing when she saw [other] babies. I was very, very interested [to see] everything that involved other women - the way they are treating their babies, the place[s] where they are, to see pregnant women in another country getting put in the hospital, giving birth. All my babies [were] born just in the village.
Tell us a little about the red ochre that women use to wash with.
T: We are not washing our bodies with water; putting that red thing on our body is the way we are washing our bodies. If I didn't put [that] on during the day, then I smell bad. The men use [it, too,] but not too much, only a little bit. The men can wash themselves with water also because they're not wearing many things.
What are people in the village expecting from the movie?
T: They say it's a good thing to have had the movie shoot so that a lot of the country can know how they are living in Opuwo, and they are happy to be seen in other countries.
Other [tribes] have changed; only the Himba are still in the traditional culture. But I want Ponijao to decide for herself [if] she will stay. After shooting, they [i.e., the filmmakers] have [given] help for Ponijao to be something in the future. She can take care of her [own] baby [some day] in good condition.
How do you feel about the whole experience?
T: Another [movie] shooting [here would be] more than welcome.
Filed under: Uncategorized
Tags: adoption, Babies, Louis Bullock, Mother's Day, Mothers, Sandra Bullock
