V.P. Epps-Sophomore Core The women of Africa have endured the systematic oppression of their development for countless of years due to elements in cultural, political and, historical events. Long before British-colonial occupation and the slave trade, the male dominated African tribal culture adhered to many oppressive yet accepted and structured forms of role categorization of women in African society. It is in examining the roots of such origins, that one can begin to understand the lineage of African The position of women in pre-colonial Africa was impeded mainly because of cultural aspects of their way of societal existence. African females would be type-cast from birth and instructed in manners of learning subservience, as is the case of human behavior in most societies, as strict and hindering gender roles determined the path of their life (Dennis 69).
As young girls, African females developed very closely with their mothers and would aquier the constricting elements that continue the ongoing chain of events. The young females would take part in the daily duties of their mother and learn the oppressive traits as did their female ancestors before them.
They would perform back breaking chores for the tribal family in preparation and guidance to their preset life stature. The developing youths would perform the very chores for their male parent that would prime them for subservience to other men in time to come. They would walk for great lengths to procure heavy buckets of water that was balanced on the head in most tribes, as well as perform other domestic duties such as: cooking, cleaning, sewing and mending garments, and other such tasks required of developing bride prospects. The same held true for the young males of the tribe who performed male specific duties with their fathers at times. They would be also negatively conditioned to become dominant over females of the tribe as they worked ceaselessly with the seasons crops and other provisional duties. Through stories and various teachings, young African girls and boys learned were conditioned to become knowledgeable in the roles that are preset for them.
The Essay on Female Genital Circumcision Procedures Performed
The process of female genital mutilation (FGM) or female circumcision is served as a ritual practice in African countries and cultures, yet doctors are faced with an issue of illegality and immorality when African immigrants want these procedures performed here in the US. Ever since the beginning of religion, Jews, Muslims, and Christians have practiced male circumcision. This practice was scene ...
Young men were taught to provide for their family and to exhibit dominance over their female counterparts. Young females were taught to respect men and were primed to the future of one day marrying and appeasing their own husband and following the same guidelines of their female lineage, thus once again creating another reoccurrence in the seemingly endless cycle of complacency. As this was all that was known to them since birth, this disturbing level of complacency lead to the unquestioned acceptance and redristibution of such oppression to future generations of young men and women (Achebe).
The religions of African tribal cultures conceived that the position of women within their society was complementary to that of men. The societies of early African tribes believed men to be spiritually superior to women, fashioning powerful gods in the form of man, in opposition to peaceful female deities in further attempts to have total control. The religions of many Nigerian societies recognized the social importance of female gods of fertility and social peace, but women were also associated with witchcraft which appeared to symbolize the potential social danger of woman exercising power uncontrolled by men (Terborg 22).
African women, conditioned to be subservient and upholding of the social integrity of the tribe, were still only considered to be fulfilling their obligations to the men and oftentimes the arduous efforts and work performed by the women of the tribe would not even be considered as arguable or an issue at all.
Duties that in American society today are viewed as heavy labor or mans work, would almost always be performed by the female in service of the leader of the family (Dennis 56).
The Essay on Characters That Are Put On Display For Women Male Men Female
The relationship between masculinity and the media first came into focus in the 1970 s and gained increased scholarly attention in the late 1980 s. It continued to generate work that theorizes, interprets and evaluates masculinity with or in the media. In modern Western societies, it is considered 'masculine' to be aggressive, independent and active. There is a considerable debate as to whether ...
The negative mental programming and control of African women, is further reinforced by the males of the tribe believing their actions to be true. The justification of such practices is that it has been their way of life as their gods have proclaimed it to be. The complacency of the women, who are conditioned from birth, in the practices of such oppression, is the product of pre-existing and ongoing religious and cultural oppression. Male dominance is justified as to use culture and religion as an important means in controlling women by explaining that women acting outside of their expected and appropriate social role, unconfined by men, would lead to dangerous results (Dennis 23).
The colonization of African by European powers, introduced new religion, economy,and government that had varying effects on African womens development. Christian missionaries introduced religion that slowly yet systematically deconstructed native African religious ideals of superior male gods. The concept of equality amongst the Christian god, appealed to most women who secretly strived for such equality even though wary of leaving their way of life. The prospect of equality and respect appealed to many female African women as they were fearful of the menacing native male gods.
They were also attracted to promised absolution from domestic violence as it was a very prevalent issue in pre-colonized Africa. The arrival of the missionaries introduced an alternative religion that was more appealing to African women in regards of certain This soon was followed by the arrival of colonial administrators introduced European oppressive issues amongst the female population. Their ideas of the appropriate social role for women differed from the traditional role of women in indigenous areas of Africa. The ideas of the colonizers embraced the assumptions that women belonged in the home, tending to meals, domestic activities: including child rearing and cleaning, and child rearing. The European ideal of female responsibility isolated the African woman in the home with many duties being left undone. It was the mandate of in some areas government interventions were used to ensure that the European newly introduced oppressive factors would be upheld.
The Term Paper on African American Perception European Americans Participants
Abstract European Americans believe that they are the superior race to every other race. They persist in attempts to control and conquer all that exist on this earth. Their influence on the African American psyche is of interest to the current investigation. This ideology could influence four personality dimensions, for example: inferiority, dependence, helplessness, and self-hate. Experimental ...
The foreign and unwelcome mandate made it impossible for women to aid the family by creating various crafts and duties to help supply her family income. The colonization of Africa witnessed European governments imposing different oppressive ideals on African women by means of exploitation. The Europeans took advantage of raw materials of the land as well as what was also perceived as raw, uncivilized people whom they could exploit as well as the land (Afsha 69).
The imported ideals and restrictions that colonial governments placed on women in indigenous societies of Africa, lead to the deconstruction of native ideals and factors. The Europeans exchanged a complacent form of hindrance to womens development and replaced it with a nearly destructive regime of damaging proportions. Colonialism disrupted the traditional system of former oppression and production, reinforcing those existing systems of social inequalities and introducing new forms of oppression not congruent with the African persons way African womens development has been impeded through social inequality and oppression throughout history. The tribal culture of learned oppression has been prevalent from the first spoken stories.
The assigning of oppressive and domineering gender roles masked the social inequalities made complacent through generational instruction. These social issues were further justified through the use of religion as well as cultural factors. The introduction of a exploitive and similarly oppressive foreign aspect served to further reinforce the current impediment of womens development and further served to dismantle native societal culture.The impediment of African womens development has always been an issue in the oppression of women. The continuing aspect of gender roles as well as political and social stereotyping will continue to serve as the catalyst for the structuralization of who anyone is and sometimes who they are to become. Terborg Rosalyn Women in Africa and The African Dispora Howard University pub. Achebe Chinua Things Fall Apart Bantam Doubleday Dell pub.
inc. Afsha Haleh Women, State and Ideology Lynne Rienner pub.. Dennis Carolyne Women and State in Nigeria Wadsworth pub. co.
The Essay on The Role of Women and African Slaves in the American Revolution
Throughout history both women and African slaves have fought for their place in the United States, however the American Revolution was the first stepping stone for both the African slaves and the women as they offered support in the fight for freedom. In the American Revolution, both African slaves and women played climacteric roles of support in the war that lead Colonial America to gain ...
Bibliography:
Terborg Rosalyn Women in Africa and The African Dispora Howard University pub. Achebe Chinua Things Fall Apart Bantam Doubleday Dell pub. inc.
Afsha Haleh Women, State and Ideology Lynne Rienner pub.. Dennis Carolyne Women and State in Nigeria Wadsworth pub. co..
