Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-11-08
AFRICAN WOMEN'S RIGHTS
The Ladies Of the Akona Tribe Bring
Their Husbands to Terms.
The Women of Civilized Countries May
Learn a Lesson From the Heather
Women.

Mr.. PAUL., who lived for some time in
the CAMERON region, West Africa, tells
of highly successful woman's rights
movement a while ago ia the Akona tribe
illustrating the fact that when women
unanimously assert them in saving lands,
as well elsewhere, they are great power
in the community. In that benighted
region women are not supposed to have
any rights: When grl is ID or IA years
old she is sold 10 anybody who has prop
erty enough to pay the price her father
asks for her and thereafter she works like
a slave for her board and lodging and is
subject to all the aprices of her lord
and master. Even the bondsmen IN the
community have more privileges thsn
the free women, and some of them in
time are able to support rather extensive
harems of their own.
It happened that there were some
strong minded women among the Akona
people, and they lifted up their voices in
public phases in favor of some radical
social reforms that would make the lot of
woman kind rather more endurable.
They were jeered at, as women reformers
have been in some other lands, and were
advised by the superior sex to keep on
digging in the fields and pounding man
ioc root and thank fortune that their lot
was not less tolerable. Reform was evil
IDENTIFY not to be secured by any amount
o: feminine protest, and SO these strong
minded women put their long heads to-
gether and decided upon radical and far
reaching measures.
The tribe is small one. Nearly all
the admit females in 1t enlisted under the
banner of woman's rights. One day there
was an enormous connection IN that little
community. It was almost wholly con-
fined to the male population, the fact be-
ing that there was hardly woman there
to share the excitement. The mothers
and wives. IN the most unexpected and
heartless manner, suddenly dropped
their Implements of drudgery, and with
| their children in their arms and marriage
able daughters had HE'D them through
the forests to the territory of another
tribe, where, at distance of eight or ten
miles from their own garden patches,
| they were prepared to open negotiations
with the lordiy chapel they had left be-
hind them.
They know beforehand that they would
meet with hospitable reception in the
tribe with which they took refuge. 1t
happened that this tribe was larger than
the Akona, and did not like them very
we'll, and it tickeled them half to death
to see the pickle in which the Akona men
| suddenly found themselves. The women
| set themselves to work earning their
daily bread, and waited without bit of
i'm patience for an embassy from home.
| 1t was not long before the embassy put
in an appearance.
| The Akona tribe was of the opinion
| that thew could not con 5iuue in business
without the female members thereof, and
they wanted the women to come home.
The particularly strong minded woman
of the refugees said she was glad at last
] that the wcm9n of their tribe was de-
sirable element of the Akona people. AS
| the women had taken care of all the men
it was evident they were able to take care
of themselves, and they hadn't the slig hit
est intention of going home, except on
certain conditions, which she specified.
Then the embassy went home to consult
the chief men, who, as their harems were
! he largest suffered the most by the
| fl : he of the fair SCI.
yhe women stipulated that they would
come back if considerable part of the
| agricultural duties of the community
were in future turned over to the slaves,
| if the mothers were permitted to have
| something to say about the disposal of
their daughters, and If several other con
ditions were complied with 1t did not
take long for the gentlemen of Akona
to decide what to dc, day or two later
the women went back in high feather,
| having gained a com plete victory and
! they have been treated very we'll ever
| sJnca