Re-inventing Africa: matriarchy, religion, and culture

223 Pages·1997·13.34 MB·English

by  Ifi Amadiume

Aboutt hea uthor
IfiA madieui masn a wawridnn-nigp oeatn adp olictlaai ctiavsi st
welalsa na camdie.cS hhea lsi vienNd ig erainatd h UeK anids
crurnetlays sitoaecp reosfsaotDr a rmtoutChol lgeeH,a nove.r
Theer,s hteae cehsi nb ottheh D eaprmtenotfR eling ioatnhde
AfricAamnei-rcaSnut diPeorsg rammPeor.ef srsA omadmieui s
authooftr h e nitnliflM aualeeD aguhterFesm,ae lH usbasn( deZd
Bokos1,89 8)w hicwho nt hCeho icOeut sntdaiAncga deBmoiock
oft hYeea ra waridn1 g.8 g
ParisfroeM aleD aguhteFemrsae,lH usbasn:Gd endaenrd zSnae nx
AfricaSno cbiyeI �fiA madiume:
'eRqiurde raediinnga c orsusl-rtcau\lvm oens'utsdi ecso urse
A bokow elrle srheceadc,la erwlryti tne,w itagh o obdbi lipohgy,r a
ande fficielynp trocdeu-do net hacta bne d epeendud potno
provloikvede iclsuyss i.oC'nho iMcaeg zaine
'Eestnsiraela dfirona gyn onei nterienfs nutdemade natlt hinking
aboutte� issoufeg sne dearn ds eixn p r-eclonoails coie.t'i es
GudaairnN,ig eria
'IAfim aidumaeN ,i egrisaconoi liosghta,ss t epopueotdf t he
acadesmiildcie nteots a ckhledea o nt eh issoufre a csicosilta
antohproyl.oA'frgi cEav esn t
'hTiiss at htasethx otub lerd e awdi dealnydi ncdlewusom en's
sutdsis,eco ilsa icenacnehdsi sr.ytI owti sluler lbyea ni mportant
staetneitmnt hcea ltoagoufae n ti-aclohilisostnt iroarhypi'.Weo sgt
Africa
'�ficeutullsyo saerrehced. .A.ne xterleiymmp ortcaonrntit bu­
ti.oA'nfri ca
RE-INVENT ING AFR IC A
Matriahry,cr elgiioann d cultrue
lfAim adiume
•
ZedB ookLst d
LONDON & NEW YORK
Re-inAvfricentinga M:a triarcl!Jr,e ligiaoncndu lwtausfir resp tu blished
byZ edB ooksL td7,C yn thia StreLeotn,d oNnI9 JFU,K and
Room4 001,57 F ifAtvhen ueN,e wY orkNY, IOOIOU,S A
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Distribu!eexdc lusini vtheel-u syA by-S tM artiPnr'essI sn,c .,
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157F ifth AvenueN,e wY orkNY, IQOIOU,S A.
CopyrighItfiAni© a diume1,9 97
Covedre signbeydA ndreCwo rbett
Seti nB askeravnidlU lnei vebry_sE waSnm ith
Printaenddb ounidn t hUen itKeidn gdom
byB iddlLet�dG ,u ilodrfda n9l{ ingL'ysn n
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Ther igohftI fiAm adiUm-etob ei dentiafiste hdea uthoofr
thiwso rhk asb eeans sertbeyhd e rin accordawnicttehh e
C-opyrighDte,sg insa ndP atentg_Ac1t9,8 8.
A catalogrueec ofrordth is booki _as vailfaorbmlt eh eB rit_i sh
Library
us-c IPh asb eeanp plifeOI"fd r omt heLib raroyfC ongress
ISBN I 8564593 37 - cased
ISBNI 85645g3 45 limp
Contents
Acknowledgements Vl
Preface Vll
Introudction
Writin.Lgt\ friAcfar:i csaonc ihails toarnyd t hes ociology
ofh istory I
PartO ne Re-wriitng Hisotry 27
I Them atriarcrhoaolto sf A frica 29
2 Racea ndg ender: ChAenitkaDh i op's moprhaill osophy5 2
3 Theorizimnagt riaricnhA yf rickai:n shiidpe ologaineds
sytsemsi nA fricaan dE urope 7I
4 Women'asc hievemeinntA sf ricpaonl itiscyaslt ems:
transformciunlgt ufroer5 00y ears 89
5 Gendearn ds ocimaolv ementisnA fricaa W:e st
Africeaxnp erience 109
6 Gendearn dt hec ontestaotfir oenl igiao hni:s torical
perspectoinvA ef ricsaonc ieties I44
PartT wo Decoloniznig Hisotry 159
7 Africwaonm ena ndp olitiac hsi:s toorfyt ransformatiIo6nI
8 Cycleosf W esterinm perialfiesmmi:n isrma,c eg,e nde,r
clasasn dp ower I83
Int hec ompanoyf w omen:l oves,t ruggcllea,sa sn do ur
9
feminisms I99
Index 208
v
Acknowlegdements
Mosto ft hesees sawyesr ew rittiennr espontsoei nvitleedc tures,
keynoatded ressaensdd, i scussion with ainndtf erlileencdtsu aflrso m
·1 g 8gI9-=9 4Ia· m gratetfoui ln dividwuhaoli sn ititahteesdie n vitations
andi nstituwthiiocnwhse lcoq1meed. I nt hed evelopmoef_nm ty ideas,
reseacrecrht ainlya mpajloaryr eodl e;e qbuuatl ilmyp ortaarneste veral
-
frienwdhso,s ceo mmentcsr,i ticainsdmp sa ssionianttee rheastvbsee en
a sou�coefe ncouragemeennatb,l imneg t oc ontinounet hiqsu esitn
spiotfeg readti fficultHieerseI.,m ustm entioSna baS akaa.nHae,rbert
Ekwe-EkwCeh,u kwunyeKraem aluA,l theJao nes-LecoLionuties,
Brenn_eMra,h moodM amdani-E,r nesWta mba-dia-WaKmojboa-,S eb
Amanora ndT handMia kiwane.
Perhatphsem osti mportsaonutr ocfei nspiraftoirmo en d urintgh e
passte veryaela rhsa sb eent he.�s uppoofrs tt udenatnsd �·tyhoeu th
wherevIeh ra vgei velne cturEevse.nm orei nspirhianvgbe e enth e self-
heldpe colonizeadtuicoant ieoffnoarlt bsy g rassroAfroitcsa nins our
.
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communitbioetshi nE uropaen.d t heU niteSdt ateass_,t hetyr yt o
constrtuhceti orw nn ormsa ndi deals to counatnedrE urraoc­ism
centrism.
AtZ edI t hanLko uisMeu rrafyo rs ayitnogm e,' weldlo ne1S'h e
·reatdh i·m sa n�scrainpdtf oughttog· e .ti td,e ciditnopg u bliwsiht hout
.
_c h�ngianngy th.i Tnhgankaslstoo F aroufko rh iss uppoarntd· e n­
couragement.
an�
My famihlasy beenp atients upportaisav lew ayMsa.n yt hanks
tom y dadC,h-ieIfd eyoif-N nobim:a yy oul ivteor ecomrodr ep roverbs
andw ritmea nym oreb ooks!·Thaalnsktoso m y childrKeenm,d ia nd
Amadim,a yy ouc ontintuog er ows troinngc haracatnedar s s_ertiveness.
Thisb ooki sd edicattoem dy grassro·oatcsa,d emaincdp olitical
frienidnsL ondoni,n a ppreciaotfio ounrw orkt ogethoevre mra ny
yearasn:,d t heg �nuienffeo ritns·t hed iaspoArfar ic-acno mmunittioe s
constraulctte rnaatnitvie-,rnc ainsdtc ounter-impeepriisatleimsotl ogies
ofs elf-represaenndst ealtfi-ogne nenroartmeadt aivneda nti:-mnaotrive
ideals.
VI
Preface
Theesseys ,swa rintb teweteen1 899a n1d9 92a,r aed icrtre elsotuf t wo
procewshiscemhsig hste me unerldat,ye te,i na catluictnayn obte
seapra.tT ehedya rmey i nvoelnvaetnm edpx erieinnac ceamsdi eaan d
the claosnts hroeon ohema nadn,ds oicaaln pd olitlii ncvaomlevnet
witshet ocinosf t hAefr iccaonmm uintoyn t hoet h.Ie rrsrpeeicvotef
lolci,ati yna goegrpahailcs enasletl,eh e s sapcehsva ep reodv tob e
aernaosfc onttaetsoifoi nd eaansdt ,ehe rofroef,p owe.r
Poweisrh reed efineidn ttwhsoe e ntsheasht va eIu seidt tihsnee
esyssaO.n ei isn a ni mpeirlaisseten ,s tahnedor reef symyounsow nith
viloen.Tc heeo thieisrn t hsee nosfae u ntomoyi n semlifn-atdieotne.r
Hergene,d -edrreivmeeadn isnegme st ob et hree lia sstuhteai ,st ,h e
charaocftt heceru ltaunrpdeo ilcistg eonf.d T ehreei sdaesa rceo n­
seuqelnyct ondseirweidt hi·tnw botr hoeta hdme eisnw hitcehhs pepa esr
flaln,ma ely1:.A friacn-ncterresedp soentso E uorpen aimperialist
streahonlgodln t hper ocdituoonfM r iacns teusdai ntdh iene ptrerattion
ofA frichains yt;2o .pro liatlci ocncearbonustth nee coo-lols natit,ae
the orfEo ulorepe na-opdrucAefrdi cealnsi taeinnedtr anli mpeirlai.s m
Theseesy sswa erfier satsm sbleeidn 1 992a,ta t iemw henI w as
deleypi nvolwvietLdho ndloonlc c aommuntiisee,ps eicaltlhyBea l ck
cmomunyi,at sa c ommnuiteyd utciaowno rkaenrad sa l ecetru triin­i
atiancgc recdoirutseedas t ttorA afrc-otCa riebabsnt undtiesn htoi gher
eudctai.oE nmpathizwiinttghh p ea isosnasns de bnisilieiasttt hgear ss­
rootIsw ,a tsh eorresemfy ptahettoti hcAe fr coernitpce precsti.vveee,n
ifc riltliiycnm a yo wne naggmeentw itihtS .mo er ecnoigtoifot nh ese
ineetrsstw rinti tnoett hceu rricuplruomvt eobd ea s ucscufelos utraech
inttohB el accokm muniinBt riyt .a in
TheB laccokmm unist irweeee ngeirezda,n gdor upasn idn dividuals
mobiilzetdhe smeveslt os eutps tyug dorupasn,dd i efferntl trculaua nd
eudctaiopnrajeolcs t.I na ltlih st,h feco lap oiwnatst heirs ticyu rio
aboturta idoilnAt afrinc cauulertsa nda ncinetE gyptciualrnta auln d
moravla luAetst .hg er assrMorootcsesn,mt w raist heorreaefm oral
guidipnrgi pnelc,ai ndI w ietsnesdf irneddsi asrctdh selv aem asetsr'
Vll
Re-invenMtriincga Vlll
-
namest hahta db e�nf orceudp on thema st heya doptenda meso f
ancieEngty ptigaond dessgeosd,s , quaenednk si ngTsh.i sp erspective
alseon abletdh emt oe ngag�eo rep ositiwvietl·hyA friacnad,t os hed
-
theh atreadn dr esentmoefnA tf ricbao rna sa resuolftt hep ain and
hurtfulonfee snss lavemaenndtn egatiEvuer ocenterdiucc ation.
Therew-asa greaotu tburosftc reateinveer giyn f ashihona,i rstyles
andj ewellaesrt yh eo rdinabrlya cfko lktsr ietdor eorgantihzeeil ri ve-s,
seekiwnhgo lesomenaensdcs o llecctoimvmeu nihtayp pineisnths e face
ofu nrelentriancgi sWme.s tercnu ltucroen tinuteors e newan de nrich
-itsetlhfr ougthh eh ighv alu_pel aceodn antiquaer ta nda rtefacts,
particulEagrylpyt iaarnt W.h y ist herree sentmaenndtg reacto ncern
whend iaspora Mricans rtehcevo aglnuioezf eA fricaann tiqui-ty?
My personeax]p eriepocfe p r-£tctiAcfarlo centreixpslmia ns the
seemin-gf-estscfhorriC fhte ikhA nt-aDiopi ns omeo ft hee ssaywsh,i ch
indeeadn A-siafnemaleed itQofra universpirteysi snt heU S accused
-
me ofi n1 99I2 d.i dn otm ipdt hakti ndo fo bservataitao lnl W.h at
upsemte att het imwe ash eri nabiltiotyr _e atdh eA fricdaant oan t heir
ownm eriandt makec ommentsb as�odn t hemw,i tho-uustp erimposing
hero wnI ndiaenx perieonfcth ee - practoifsc aet (it hseu pposbeudr ning
of brideisn)o rdetro c onvehye r-meanintgo m e.E_d ucateadn d
cosmopoliatsas nh ew as,s he_s tiilnls istone d a translatoiroc no m­
municationh_evroi wan c t$ure.,s .ot hasth en evemro vedo.u t.cohfe r·
'lndiann.ee vsesnw' h,enr eadinag t ex-atb ouAtf ricIa- .h ando tw ritten
ab9utth ·Ien diapnr actiocfse a ti,-tahnedrw ea sn:o thienqgu ivalteon t
iti nm y tex.t .
Writingn ow,i nJ anuar1y9 9I7 a_,m glaodf t haetx periesninccee I
canu sei·tt oh elpt of orm.: an·-Opinioonn t hec·u rrednet bate about
Eboni_e- sth e .suppos·eBdl a-cEkng lishs pokebny m anyM ricanA mer.. . ·
ican-sw hichs omec laitmo be .ad ialeocftth e Englilsahn guaget-and
otherarsgu e isa differelnatn gua.agel togeItnhC eai.l ifor·nOiakal·a,n d
·E ducatiBoona rhda st akethn� positiotnh atth eraer-eM ricanAm erican
cilild.r·ecnominignttoh ee ducatiosnyaslt_ew mi thE bonieass. a first
- -
languagaen,dt eacheorusg httob ee quippteodr ecognitzheif sa csto,
tha-tt h-ec_ya nh elpi nt het�·a aslatiforno mt his diianltesoct ta ndard
Englishr·a thetrh and i�misstihnegs yeo ungp eoplase stup..iT dh e
Oaklandc ashea s· resulint ehde atepdu blidce bat.we h ic�t om y sur.-
prishea,s s hownt ha·tt her.ae r eAm-ericanwsh od o not· seetmo k now
thamta nyA fricAamne ricadnosn ets peaskt.a ndaEnrgdl isath home
ori nt-hen·e igbourhoono d,m attewrh att heidre greoef education.
Thisw oulbde c onsideanri ends ualsts tandaErndg liiss thh el anguage
.
oft hes chooIl a.m gladt os ayth att hiiss s omethitnhge syt ishna re
witht hosien·M ricaO.n lya disrespeacntdfa urlr ogaenlti-tweo uld
Praecfe
lX
behvea ltihtkaT.eh eeri st,he eofrer,ac ladsmise nosnti o Etbhoene is
debt.aeI tw oulsde ewme l ivienm anwyo rlodfts r aidoindt,es pite
borugoeipso msotderanhiissttl io llruiscioaofdn issn ctoiintwuyi tthh e
pa.s t
Thel esIsl oena frornmtt hIen idawno maend iitso r athloaltt h er
naitoanlisth iaevaen a cknloegwdedl anguaangdte eh erofer culet,u r
othtehraE nn lgsiht,h rowuhgihtc hhe cya cnh ootsone eo gitamteena ­
inign a multieatnhdmn uilcut luitrcaslo cyi.Le atnguuasgiees t hus
soaclai npd oiltli.c a
Whyt ehns ohulAdfr icAamne ricbaen dsffai e ernstp ecoifse oscl i a
bei?nW ghsys hlodui tb ea ssumtehtdaA fricAamne ricwaounlsd
hitsoricnaohltal vyde e evlopae sdpe aartlea nggeuo ara vreancular
tahts epkast he'ircroe lnee'st,sh eoitrrh neeasnsdr, i cshoo cciullt ura
histsoirnitcehseme o vmeenotu otf A frician ttoht ei emso fe nsvle­a
menatn dn ow civsiolcy i?Ae ntdw hys houtlhdal tag nuagneo bte
respeacsat sepda fcroec lsase xrepsisonosfB alcka utoyn,co om­m
mentya arndr seiasncte- soemhtniga blsuoetlyf edrtief fnormt he
laernionfEg ng ils?Th hidsie fferncseh lodub er ceongizebdya atceher
ofE nglsieeskhia nlgts ooi mpatrhstet andoaftr hdEesn glliasunhagg e.
Sucha na kcnwoledegment mtehaatnthEs en lgitseha cwhoeurln do t
assutmhteaa nE boenssi pkeeairsa tmtpetitnosg p ke Eangl,ai nsdh
woultdh eorrenefo kti tlhlse p keears'les-fx epressainocdno fi ndentcoe
cmomuinca.Tt heer espferocd tie ffrenecnaeti tlhsta t htee acohfe r
Englsihw oulldi sfitrestntot hEeb noiesespk aearn dt henneg otiaa te
trsaltniaona,s taec aherw oulddoi na ne nucnotweirt ahn yoh tre
lagnuaogere htniyc.i t
Inm yo pionnti,h Aefr oncterdiecbt aec otniuneisnt hdeeb ataeb out
Eboensai sa d icsourosnte h peal coef h isitconare1lm orayn cdu tlulr a
cnotiitnyiu n ptrhdeou ticoonf k nwoldeg,ea st hpea sitno frmtsh e
peresnatn tdh per esdeeentrtnm ietsh feut rueT.h iists h teh intkhiantg
inofrmtsh ceh oiocfte eh mersnu nnigt horugtheh seess a,yi snlcuding
thowsreti etantf eIrm ovde tot hUeS Ai n1 993W. hamte htoodlyo g
andw hapter spievcweto uledan bluest or ecnoigze rasepnedtc hte
lgeitimoafgc rysa orsotwso mne,n atipveoepe lsa ndv illoagrgaienz a­
tinosa s' decmaroitce'tn istp,ir eelcyib seeucsaoef t hediernc telriazed
poltiicsayls taenmdts h e udsiioffofnp owera monvgar ioiunsrt seet
gruopasn dt heoigrran iaztoins?
Thee sasyasr teh,e orere,f edirinpstlciirny-a reeflcitntgh ceo pmlexity
ofm yc ulrta,uli ntcetlulaaenldg eopghrialcm aixa nde xepirences.
Alhtouhg theess ayrse flesvceetr tahmlea tciocn cearm nasj,os ril neg
themiets h aotfg endearn tdh ceo ntateisootftn h meo rlaiotfyp owe,r
whehteirnm yd issicsouonfg enderrseeianrgmc ehht odoyli onAg frican
Re-invAefrnitcian g X
Stud(iIenst rodtuhcietd ieoonl)oo,fg g ieensdi ensr o ciinaslt itutions
(Chap1ta enrds, g 2e)ndeprheidl osoofpp hoiwee(srC hap3t)we,or m en
inp oliatnidtc hsqe u estpioowne( rC hap4t aenrd7s ) g,e ndecrheadr ­
actoeftr h set a(tCeh ap5)t,ge ern dered (rCehlaip6gt)ire,oar nca sen d
clacsosn tradiinfc etmiionnCishs ampst 8ea rnsdg) . T hew honloet ion
ofp atri·ap racrhaaldigmmoantoilci tihsdi issmm ibsysm eytd h eosfi s
paradigompaptoiscia tn-idso tnr ucgteunrdcaeolrn testaasat r ieosnu,l t
oft hep reseonfcm ea triaicnth hyfe u ndameofn ttahleis d eoafs
kinsinh ainpc iaenndtt r aditAiforniacla .
InC hapt6e,Iru s.ae s pecsiefilcf -nAafmreirdce alni igniN noonb i
tod emonsttrhpaert iem aocfgy e ndine trh ceo nstrauncdtc ioonn­
testaoftr ieolingi oculsam is,t hushsow intgh vei sibofiw loimteyin n
reli-giboonta,hs s ymbo.la insdst ysm boolfws o rshTihpef. a ctth at
theea rrweo menr'esl igaindor nist umaelasnt sh aotn ec ans peoafk -
gendemroerda laintdei tehsoi fcs so cjiuaslt Iincw eh.i ch would
case,
sucnho tidoentse rmtihcneh ea racotfse orcsii naslt it·cuutlitounrse,s
ansdt a-tYeeissn? deaend.Id,h avues eedx tenstihwveoe rlokyfC heikh
Ant.aD itoops upptohrpitos s ition.
Ia mn osta yitnhgat thm ee rper eseonfwc oem einnp owegru ar­
anteaenes q uitsaobclsieya slt Geimv.et nhm ea sculitneinzdienngc ies
oft hceo ntempsotraastryeys teIim nsd,e deids ·msiuscsshei dm plistic
assumpitnai f oonrst hcboeomkiD,na gug htqfe trhGseo ddesasn Ddll l!-ghters
of ImperialisAmfri:c aJtOnm enStrug gle forP owaenrDd e moc·Rraatcyh.ie itrs ,
thceh oiocfge e ndemroerda litoyfc ivialnidot fys tattheaw to uld
determaji unsest o ciPeartayd.ia gtmipcl uraolffies�rm ps e rspective
whitcah kienstc oo nsidetrhaqetu ieosnt{) ifco onn tesatnacdth iooinc e.
Them ythosfg odasn dg oddee-msbsoedcsyo ntesatnidcn ogm ple­
mentasryys t·ae sms su;.cwh e.h avae c hoiocfne a rrattoti hviewinstk h ,
tos.h arteot, e llilwie ths- (falsificatainodnt )oq uararbeolu t.
In-readtihneges ses aIyh sop,e. t hastt udeanntdas c tivinit shtes .
communiwtilsilee heso wt hehya veed ucamteea,d n dd etermmiyne d
topicsof concaenrdtnh iess ureasi sed. Pietsr hhbeae pswsta ytt oh is
supp.nourmte rsotuusd wehnots- haapvper oamceho ercd o mplati.on ed
mea boruatc iisntm h ceu rricaunldtu hmce l assroom.
Ih opteh atth bioso wilkl i:ontritbodut eeb aatbeostu hteq uestion
ofm ethodoilnAo fgryi sctaudni.ae sis.pt, r opoasnae lst ernsaotciiavle
histtootr hyue n popualsasru mpotfia onntsh ropology.