Jackson advocate. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1939-current, 1957-06-01

Gated. But these proud dignified
women, within the tribal pattern,
are of supreme importance. They
know all tribal law, advise and
educate the chiefs and royal sons,
and often select the new chief.
They are in control of all Of the
women sri 39nis l9oH3G dsiH
folded my hands and bowed to
her as | had to the men. With
an interpreter, we had a pleasant
talk. She asked me about women's
work, children, farming problems
the cost of goods of my country
We had even more in common than
the color of our skins.
When / said good-by, again
bowed to her, but she embraced
me and in that moment we were
two women with a great deal in
common. Cultural barriers, tribal
blood, and education had vanished
She invited me back to the great
yam festival. l regret that can
not be there this year.
But, aside from this group and
other women of the royal house
hold, the average African Negro
woman is housekeeper, farmer
mother, wage Garner, and some
times beast Of burden for her fam
lily.
Wives Have Leftovers
One day, in a village of about
so people, sat on the ground
with the women. 1t was "chop"
time. Their men had eaten. Hus-
bands and wives do not eat to-
gether, of course. What the hus-
bands did not eat was left for the
wives. Some of the women had
more than the others for their
husbands had taken their meal with
another wife or girl friend. This
made the wives very happy. Here,
unlike my reception in other vii
lagos, l was not invited to partake
of the unsavory-smelling animal
entrails and straggly green's boil
ing in the iron pot over the fire
on the ground. This was the first
time | found a lack of African
hospitality. | was not able to
talk with these women for they
were hostile. l later learned that
this hostility was not directed a.
gainst me but against the world
as they knew it.
AS the women stuck their hands
into the pot and ate with relish
the ill-smelling connection, their
thin half nude children stood
around begging for something to
eat. The women ignored them or
pushed them away screaming at
them.
AS if in race they hurriedly
ate with both hands the meat and
substance of the meal. Then they
sauntered away, licking their fin
gers.
Children Fare Badly
The children fought each other
to get to the soupy substance that
their mothers had left. There was
very little, for their fathers, uncles
and other men had eaten the best
and their mothers had left for them
only what they themselves did not
want.
Although their lives may seem
not to have a pattern, there is a
definite routine, even in the very
small villages of 20 persons. In
the mornings the women go off to
work their husbands farms, later
finding time for their own yam
farms.
From these each woman receives
her pin money, unless she is also
a trader. If her husband is very
poor, and therefore has one wife,
she has all the work to do.
She must find time to fill in the
ant holes in the floor of the hut,
whitewash it, sweep the sleeping
mats, pound the fu-fu. The latter
! is often done to the singing and
drumming of other women. Some
times a record player is the &C.
compartment.
Market Day Enjoyed
In order to prepare the evening
meal, she must go to market. And
! this is the high point of her day
Market time varies in different
villages. 1t may be 9 am, noon,
2 p.m., or 4:30 pm. The market
is the African woman's clubhouse,
Main Street newspaper, Fifth Ave-
nue., theater and newsreel all in
one. She sends messages to rela-
tives and friends, she hears the
latest gossip, settles or starts
feuds and does her shopping at
the same time.
In the evening". when the meal
! is ever. the entire village gathers.