12/2/2014 General View of Women in Pre­Colonial Africa: Economy, Governance, Social [Part One] | Yelhispressing

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14 General View of Women in Pre­Colonial Africa: Economy,Governance, Social [Part One]Posted on August 14, 2014 by Noirfifre

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It is important when studying the status of women in Africa, one should bear in

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12/2/2014 General View of Women in Pre­Colonial Africa: Economy, Governance, Social [Part One] | Yelhispressing

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mind that the continent is huge and there are significant differences betweencountries. In addition, within one state there are several traditions and values that aredifferent. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to use specific examples within thecommunities in Africa to show the role of women which contributed to their status.The status of a pre­colonial African woman is very difficult to define because there aremany examples where she dominated and other instances where she faceddiscrimination. Hence, it one will see that the pre­colonial woman was both a leaderand a woman on the sideline. In both cases, analysis of the status show the strengthand the weaknesses of the individual communities or people and not a broadstandpoint of ‘African.’ One of the issues involved in the debate on the status of women in pre­colonialAfrica is women and governance. Generally the belief is that women held verysubmissive political positions in most of the African countries. There has been a cryfrom feminists and other women advocates who cry out against the patriarchal systemwhich existed in most countries. Whilst it is true that patriarchy did exist in Africa,women were not entirely removed from political positions. According to C.Magbaily Fyle, although men dominated politics in Africa in the pre­colonial periodthere were a quite a few women who played an active role in politics and government.For example, in the Yoruba political culture, there was the Iyalode who was a memberof the Alafin’s council – judiciary body in Yoruba. The Iyalode was a femalerepresentative whose was responsible for women issues and their spokeswoman at theAlafin’s meetings. Additionally, in Sierra Leone among the Mende and Sherbro peopleby the 19th century women can be heads of towns and sub­regions – a good example isMadame Yoko. Furthermore, according to Fyle the queen mother gave womeninfluence and leverage in the political sphere of some African countries. In this writer’sopinion, the place held by the queen mother and queen sister was important politicallybut did not afford them much power ;authority but no opportunit to exert any powerto that place ; some of the Wolof and Serene People had the place of the Linguѐre(King’s mother). Her place was ceremonial, she was in charge of sacred objects and theAwa (king’s first wife) possessed fields and slaves. The two positions did not makedecisions that influence the economic or political spheres of the empires or countries. From the outside looking into the pre­colonial life of many Africans, it may seemlike women were totally insubordinate both in the public and private sphere. However,according to Onaiwu W Ogbomo, women sometimes use informal means to influencedecisions made in the household. For example, in Owan, Edo State Nigeria before atitle system, the household was the smallest unit of administration. The leader of eachhousehold would frequency hold meetings to help discussions between familymembers; it was here that women got the chance to express their views. Furthermore,women created organizations that served them both in the private and public sphere.For example, in Owan, the Idegbe was a group for the unmarried and marrieddaughters of a particular lineage. Additionally, there were the Ikhuoho and the

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12/2/2014 General View of Women in Pre­Colonial Africa: Economy, Governance, Social [Part One] | Yelhispressing

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Ikposafen groups for married or wives of the family. Since the Owan family line waspatrilineal, the Idegbe perceived as ‘males’ of the family, got certain authority.According to Ogbomo, they had a great influence on their husbands and brothers thatthey were able to family problems such as marriages. In addition, because theyoperated as a group the man consulted them before a final decision. The Idegbe wereactive in birth, death and marriage activities, thus demonstrating part of their “social,economic and political consciousness.” In this writer’s opinion, it is important to bringattention to the grouping of women in positions as ‘males.’ In this instance in theOwan communities, it shows that men were not able to negotiate with women unlessthe men saw the women as one of them.

It is interesting to note that for some African women and men power came withtitles based on economic gain and prosperity. The title was as involuntary because oftradition. For example, the Ekwe title in Nnobiq was a woman or girl whose fortunelooks prosperous. The involuntary title opened to all women but for some men it isreserved, according to their lineage. Women also fought in armies in some countries in pre­colonial Africa thusdemonstrating the influence that they had in governance. For example, among theSotho of South Africa, daughters of sub­rulers were women regiments. In addition, themost famous women warriors were the Amazons of Dahomey. In Niger and Chad,women led migrations, formed cities and conquered kingdoms such as QueenAmina of Katsina (Songhai people) became famous for her conquests during the early15th century. Also in Zaria, Bazoa­Turunku was the head of warriors who lived in atown. Another area of debate is the woman’s role in the pre­colonial economy in Africa.Although women had limited political rights, she has the responsibilty of providing forher family. In most African societies such as women were in charge of fire, water andthe earth. Meaning she cooked, transported water and planted the fields. It was herrole and her contribution to her family. For example, cotton cultivation and weavingwas the prerogative of women in the Owan communities – became known as thegolden age for women [Ca.1600­1632]. Thus, is it justified to say that women did mostof the work in Africa societies, while men formed political decisions? In this writer’sbelief, since it was their tradition and women did it for years, then her task essential ifnot appreciated. Should the women decide to abandon their roles then, the social andeconomic spheres of the communities would change. Furthermore, one can view thearrangement as a sign that the contribution of women in those propositions was highlyvalued. However, at the same time it would not be wrong to say that the pre­colonialwoman looked double burdened and thus many of their arguments for the advantagesof a polygamous family. In addition, Ogbomo made a very interesting point when he noted that the wealth

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12/2/2014 General View of Women in Pre­Colonial Africa: Economy, Governance, Social [Part One] | Yelhispressing

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obtained from the cotton boom in from the mid­17th century allowed the circulationof cowries and iron bars. The cowry and iron bar currency facilitated more purchasedtitles in the Owan. Ogbomo argues that one of the reasons for the increasing thenumber of titles was to curtail the growing influence of women. The belief was that thetraditional prestige of the communities was fading. Furthermore, Ogbomo did pointout that women held a few of the titles. However, the shrewd nature of some oraltraditions, do not clearly define the relationship between the titles held by men andwomen in respect to equality – on the occasion when it did exist. The social life in the communities across Africa always raises contentious debatesabout the status of women – marriage, land and religion etc. Religion in particularinfluences the ideals of marriage and the other functions of the family. The penetrationof Islam into Africa changed several dynamics on the role and status of women insociety. For example, in Hausaland, the influx of Islam resulted in the measure andquality of important political roles to diminish. Islam also had an impact on theeconomic activity of a few such as the Fulani herders who were accustomed to women’sinvolvement in market day. However, women became forbidden to go to the marketand to work in fields – “there was an emphasis on reproduction instead of production.”Islam brought in formal education for women but it is important to note that theeducation involved the women learning the sacred texts to understand their rights andplace in society. In addition, the early role of Christianity into Africa especially inEthiopia created a change in some social customs. The missionaries tried to sway thewomen from dressing in their traditional outfits because of the image that it wasprovocative and coarse. In addition, the missionaries were contentious againstpolygamy and earnestly tried to fight against it. However, for my African familiespolygamous families worked for them because it allowed the communal raising ofchildren and shared labour. Land ownership is another issue on the status of women in pre­colonial Africa. Sinceland was community owed no one owned land individually as one did in westernsocieties, although the land tradition differed from people to people. For some theAnlo of Ghana, land came with clans and marriage played an important role inkeeping land within clans. Thus, if a woman married outside her clan, then part of theland that her family possessed went to her husband from the other clan. For thisreason, many daughters control over marriage because more restrictive because theirfamilies strongly encouraged a union within the clan. Additionally, Greene commentsthat in situations like these women placed the clan before their needs. It is alsoimportant to note that since land was communal and tended mostly by women insome African countries, women were viewed as essential to land development.According to Anthonia C. Kalu, for the Bambara people of West Africa women were incontrol of certain forest products like fuel wood and fruits of certain trees such as theShea nut­tree. Kalu further explains that women had customary rights to the land andas a result were part of the land rights that governed the Bambara land. It is

12/2/2014 General View of Women in Pre­Colonial Africa: Economy, Governance, Social [Part One] | Yelhispressing

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noteworthy to point out that since most of the African states, countries or empireswere agrarian and since one of the woman’s roles was in food product, she becamemore important. Moreover, from the literature one can see that there were several issues which fuelledthe debate on the status of women in pre­colonial Africa. The issues of land, marriage,work and power are essential to the private and public sphere activities. It isimportant to bear in mind that when reading about women in Africa, most of the timewestern beliefs and tradition influence our judgements. Therefore, this writer agreeswith many African writer’s who warn that the traditions of the west when juxtaposedwith those of Africa, is very dangerous in understanding the significant roles thateither men or women performed. Having said this it is also necessary to point out thatthere were instances when women in their roles may seem overburdened, such as herrole as provider using fire, water and earth. Work CitedAmadiume, I. Male Daughters and Female Husbands. New Jersey: Zed Books, 1987.Coquery­Vidrovitch, Catherine. Africa and Africans in the 19th Century: A TurbulentHistory. New York: Sharpe, 2009.Fyle, C. Magbaily. Introduction to the History of African Civilization: Pre­colonialAfrica. Maryland: University Press of America, 1999.Greene, Sandra A. “Gender and Ethnicity in Pre­Colonial West Africa.” Janssens,Eileen Borris and Angelique. Complicating Categories: Gender, Class, Race andEthnicity. New York: Press Syndicate of the University of Cambridge, 2004. 1­15.Kalu, Anthonia C. Women, Literature and Development in Africa. Eritrea: AfricanWorld Press Inc., 2001.Lebeuf, Annie. “The Role of Women in the Political Organization of African Societies.”Wright, Denise Paulme and H.M. Women in Tropical Africa. Berkeley: University ofCalifornia Press, 1971. 93­120.Ogbomo, Onaiwu W. When men and Women Mattered: A History of Gender RelationsAmong the Owan of Nigeria. Rochester: University of Rochester Press, 1997.

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