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Women's lives: childhood, adolescence, marriage and motherhood among the Ogiek of Mariashoni (Kenya) and the Kulango of Nassian (Ivory Coast)
Micheli, Ilaria
2017
Abstract
In traditional rural Africa, women are usually subjected to the males of their families, both in patrilineal and in matrilineal contexts. However, their self-determination and the level of independence they can attain is undoubtedly different in the two types of society, above all due to the different solidarity networks they can either keep alive with their original kinship, or develop in their new reality once they get married. Schooling and education are clearly elements which can help the women’s empowerment, but they are not the only one. This paper presents an ethno-linguistic and anthropological analysis of the conditions of women in their childhood, adolescence, marriage and motherhood among the Ogiek of Kenya (patrilineal, Kalenjin) and the Kulango of Ivory Coast (matrilineal, Gur). In the last paragraphs, special attention will be reserved to those resilience strategies against the males’ supremacy, which the women in the two contexts have developed in ages of practice and which are, nevertheless, considered acceptable within their traditions and culture.
Publisher
EUT Edizioni Università di Trieste
Source
Ilaria Micheli, "Women's lives: childhood, adolescence, marriage and motherhood among the Ogiek of Mariashoni (Kenya) and the Kulango of Nassian (Ivory Coast)", in: "Cultural and Linguistic Transition explored. Proceedings of the ATrA closing workshop Trieste, May 25-26, 2016", Ilaria Micheli (ed.), Trieste, EUT Edizioni Università di Trieste, 2017, pp. 13-32
Languages
en
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