Sundiata Gender Roles

Throughout this course, we learned that women’s studies originated as a concern at the time that “women and men noticed the absence, misrepresentation, and trivialization of women [in addition to] the ways women were systematically excluded from many positions of power and authority” (Shaw, Lee 1). In the past, men had more privileges than women. Women have battled for centuries against certain patterns of inadequacy that all women experience. Every culture and customs has divergent female

This goes to show the gravity of impact the population loss had or still has on West Africa. In Walter Rodney’s ‘How Europe Underdeveloped Africa’ he states that “The massive loss to the African labour force was made more critical because it was composed of able-bodied young men and young women. Slave buyers preferred their victims between the ages of 15 and 35, and preferably in the early twenties; the sex ratio being about two men to one woman.” The people, or lack thereof, of West Africa found it very difficult to replenish the population, not to mention the interruption of the family structure in this part of Africa. Like most cultures, in African culture the men are the head of the household and were the chiefs of the various villages. In the absence of these men, many women found it very difficult to survive having lived as housewives and depending on men as the bread winners of the household. As a result, thre was social chaos in the Western part of Africa.

In the world today, women have a say in what they want to do and things that they desire to do. Back in the day, before the 1800’s, women had to be submissive to their male counterparts and do according to what was required of them. In the end, this led to the demeaning of the woman and the concept that women were inferior to men. Even though this concept and perception changed, there have been some countries and regions of the world that have not yet recognized the equality that women deserve. Such areas do not allow women to vote, attend school, have a say in the community, and the women are at the mercy of their husbands, fathers or male superiors (Hartmann, Susan M).

As time passed, European domination drastically altered the African landscape – both physically and culturally. Traditional roles, practices, and beliefs were either completely subverted or modified to fall in line with European cultural ideals. Doubtlessly, this process of subjugation worked to the detriment of native populations throughout the continent. Even though all members of indigenous communities have suffered under this system, African women remain especially vulnerable to its harmful effects. As Mary Kolawole points out in her comprehensive work, Womanism and African Consciousness, these women must confront a set of oppressions unique to their position as both black Africans and women. During her discussion of African women’s current struggle for recognition, Kolawole argues that, although colonialism displaced many African traditions, the patriarchal social structure remained. In many ways, she holds, European colonization widened the rift between African men and women even further (Kolawole 34). Although African and European traditions share in the elevation of the male over the female, most African cultures offered women a greater position of respect within society, as well as more “positive avenues of self-liberation” than were available to European women

Our world has been a male dominated society from the beginning of time. In most cultures, especially in ancient times, women were thought of as secondary to their male counterparts. Women were considered a possession just as a house or piece of property is considered a possession. The role of women in these early societies did not receive an education but was to take care of the household and have children. The women of the Minoan and Mycenaean ancient Greece cultures held much more roles than homemakers and mothers; they were allowed more freedoms and rights also oracles, priestesses, and political advisors yet they are also seen by men as nothing more than a mere possession.

When it comes to the places and roles of women in Sundiata and in Malian society as depicted in the book Sundiata, women are held in a place very much unattached and unequal to men. Their roles, throughout the book, are defined only in relationship to men who hold higher positions of authority and often control the women with whom they are in relations with. Basically, the book takes place in a sort of patriarchal society while allowing women very few rights and powers. Like I had said before, they essentially view the women as their relations and not very much anything else. In this society women are also excluded from official positions of power.

Gender equality is an aspect of everyday life all societies in the world deals within their own way. It is the concept that men and women are equal to each other. In many places across the globe, women are seen as inferrer to men. Places in the Westerner world still have the ideology of how men are the superior and women are submissive to them. However, this is very untrue for the San society in Africa. It becomes evident that the ancient and long-lasting San society had gender equality when places in the world today are still struggling for the same results. The San society is the oldest and longest lasting hunter/gathering society in Africa. The book Nisa: The Life and Words of !Kung Women written by Marjorie Shostak is the life story of Nisa, women who grew up in the San society. Over the course of the book, her life story begins to unravel. Shostak goes into great detail about Nisa’s childhood, marriages and life thereafter. This gives the reader a clear insight into what it was like growing up and being apart of a gender-equal community that was the San society. Nisa is willing to share her story with the world so others could what it was truly like being apart of a community like the San.

The way in which the women of the Igbo village are presented, by Achebe, make it seem as if they serve very little purpose to the society. The main character, Okonkwo, is infatuated with making sure he does not turn out to be like his father. By living in a village where manliness was crucial and weakness was not, Okonkwo viewed his father as being a weak and cowardly mean because he could barely support his family. To make sure he did not become an adult that resembled his father, he developed the characteristics of being brave, wealthy and even violent. Since he acquired these traits, it gave him a sense of superiority over his wives and the other women of the village. Perhaps because of Okonkwo’s behavior, the women of the village are treated with less respect. It is portrayed by Achebe that the women of the Igbo village only purpose is looking after the children and helping their husbands when or if it is needed. Although the women of the Igbo village are described as being insignificant, the women are the people that fill in the gaps in the society. For example, the women are the ones that cook, clean, take care of everyone, help harvest and grow food, as well as all the other everyday tasks that are easily overlooked.

As the days pass, the difference between man and woman is becoming less problematic. However that does not mean that currently there are not any problems at all. One of the most overlooked gender differences would be men having authority over women. Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe, connects to this issue. This story shows how men are more powerful and authoritative over women. Also, how women get treated more likely they are men’s property. Society starts the process of inequality then, men take control over women.

The society that she had to endure, only portrayed that only a man can do certain task or jobs. The society believed that being a police officer, firemen, and construction worker or even working in general is only for men because that is what the media show the public. The media didn’t really show women construction workers or women police officers but iy did show them at home raising their kids. That may seem rather harsh but that was the mind set ever since the being of mankind until the 21st century. As explained in “Wonder Women’: Towards a Feminization of Heroism in the African Fiction: A Study of the Heroines in Second Class Citizen and God’s Bits of Wood” a woman contributes to communal matters centered around singing, and dancing during ceremonies, hence their education is not considered worthwhile (Agho 3). In the past it was a worldwide belief that women shouldn’t have the same rights and privileges as men. Society made men who treated there women equally were weak and unintelligent people. Clifton writes, “They don’t fit into little petty places, these hips are free hips”. (Clifton 782)

The undervalue of women is shown when a Umuofian woman was killed in Mbaino. The people of Umuofia demanded “the offer of a young man and a virgin”(Achebe, 11). In order to prevent war, the wife must be replaced by a new woman. As can be seen, husbands would easily replace their wives. Therefore, a woman’s value is not high. The value of women is also shown through the concept of a bride price. This is when women are given a cash market value. On the other hand, many important figures in this novel are women and have important roles, such as crop caretakers, educators for children, householders, and spiritual leaders. For example, the Earth Goddess, Ani, is connected to the idea of life and birth. Another important example is Chielo. She’s a spiritual leader whose power is not disputed. She is a priestess and oracle of the goddess, Agbala. Ironically, Agbala has the most authority in the village even though she is a woman and her name is used as an insult. In the novel, it mentions that, “...people came from far and near to consult it.” (Achebe, 3). This supports the idea that Agbala is respected and valued highly. Hence ‘normal’ women, like housewives, are unvalued but ‘spiritual’ women are

Heroes, kings and presidents, for so long men are the protagonist of the stories. Across the world and through the centuries, women have always been situated below men. Women were considered the weak sex, they are portrayed as delicate, obedient, naive and passionate. “Never trust in women; nor rely upon their vows” (44). As the wives of the kings on The Arabian Nights, whose passion brought them to cheat on both their husbands. They ended up being executed because they threatened the kings’ power. Or bringing danger into the families, as the wives of Kasim and Ali Baba, who wouldn’t think of the consequences of their actions and would act by the pure instinct of greed and naiveness. Yet, seldomly acknowledged, women have had to step up to fix troubled situations, the few stories told of women of scarce resources who have manage to triumph over the standardized society. This not only shows how women take advantage of the resources at their reach but how their

Furthermore, women are often seen as a symbol of cultural preservation and a measure of family honor. In conditions of war and colonial rule, which represents an attack on men’s honor and dignity, attention to women’s roles as prescribed by cultural tradition is often intensified. However, the unusual conditions of war and resistance to colonial rule also may provide openings for women to reconfigure their roles and rights, based on new needs of society.

  Women were once little more than slaves to their male "betters." Some women might have been respected, but their places were limited to roles as wives and mothers. They might rule a home, but were not believed intelligent enough for any other role. This chauvinistic attitude is well reflected in the novels Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe, and Heart of Darkness, by Joseph Conrad.

There are advantages and disadvantages for women in both the past and the present in my country. A Long time ago women in Congo were like instruments.  They had no value.  They were just there to give birth,  take care of the house, husband, children  and going to ground.  That they have  been doing it since they young age.   For example when a young woman still to her parent's house, she must wake up early in the morning, go to the river to fetch water and maybe take a shower just there and go back home, start cleaning the house, dishes and to cook.   After that, she need to prepare herself to go to the field and in the evening she will come back tired but she can't rest, she need to cook dinner and that was there daily living.women were like maid even in their own house.  They did everything  without the help of their husbands.