Women of BeninWomen of BeninWest AfricaWest Africa

As seen byAs seen by

Netiva CaftoriNetiva Caftori

20042004

First impressionsFirst impressions

• Colorful bombas and boubous, all Colorful bombas and boubous, all traditional dress.traditional dress.

• Babies on back.Babies on back.• A load on the head.A load on the head.• Beautiful balanced walk.Beautiful balanced walk.• Feeling mostly good about their Feeling mostly good about their

looks.looks.• Cooking and selling along the route.Cooking and selling along the route.• Mostly women in market places.Mostly women in market places.

My women studentsMy women students

• Few female students in Few female students in science and mathscience and math

• Well respected by peerWell respected by peer• Mostly single Mostly single • DESS: Nike, MarleneDESS: Nike, Marlene• Doctorate: Laure, Doctorate: Laure,

UguetteUguette• Engineering: PelagieEngineering: Pelagie• Computer science: Computer science:

NellieNellie• Math instructor: Math instructor:

AtinukeAtinuke

Wives of colleaguesWives of colleagues

• Not equal partnersNot equal partners• Some are from Some are from

polygamist familiespolygamist families• Many are business Many are business

women on their ownwomen on their own• Usually they are not Usually they are not

academiciansacademicians• Girls are there to Girls are there to

help mothershelp mothers• Girl slaves under Girl slaves under

disguisedisguise

ChildrenChildren

• Always held and carried on backs as babies Always held and carried on backs as babies and young children by mothers or siblingsand young children by mothers or siblings

• Very happy and contentVery happy and content• Big families. Many orphansBig families. Many orphans• Children are often raised by other family Children are often raised by other family

members, elsewheremembers, elsewhere• Many mothers don’t talk to their childrenMany mothers don’t talk to their children• Work at a young age to learn a trade Work at a young age to learn a trade

despite compulsory educationdespite compulsory education

ChildrenChildren

Rural womenRural women

• The feudal system is predominantThe feudal system is predominant• Many kids are encouraged: They are Many kids are encouraged: They are

the wealth of the family.the wealth of the family.• Women are mostly home with children Women are mostly home with children

and chores, butand chores, but• Some women work the fields and Some women work the fields and

manage the farm with the help of manage the farm with the help of loans.loans.

• Uneducated.Uneducated.

EducationEducation

• 50% of the population is not educated 50% of the population is not educated (analphabets), or illiterate.(analphabets), or illiterate.

• Most “educated” ones do not finish high Most “educated” ones do not finish high school.school.

• Many dialects. In school one learns French.Many dialects. In school one learns French.• Some study abroad through grants.Some study abroad through grants.• Grant money is hard to come by. Grant money is hard to come by. • Visas to leave the country are hard to get.Visas to leave the country are hard to get.• The rich, usually are educated.The rich, usually are educated.

PoliticsPolitics

• Kerekou is the same president in the Kerekou is the same president in the last three regimeslast three regimes

• Old French colonyOld French colony• French are still there committedFrench are still there committed• Some but very few women in politicsSome but very few women in politics• People close to the government get the People close to the government get the

moneymoney• Corrupted regime, but peaceful and Corrupted regime, but peaceful and

safe countrysafe country

HealthHealth

My own story:My own story:• Torn ligamentTorn ligament• Broken crownBroken crown• Broken glassesBroken glasses• Unsafe waterUnsafe waterLife expectancy = 50Life expectancy = 50Preemie storyPreemie storyMalariaMalariaTyphoid feverTyphoid fever

Bend back to do Bend back to do laundry or cleanlaundry or clean

No garbage cansNo garbage cans

PollutionPollution

Beautiful teethBeautiful teeth

Family lifeFamily life

• Red earth stone or Red earth stone or cement brick houses cement brick houses

• Life happens mostly Life happens mostly in interior court in interior court yardsyards

• No running toilets No running toilets most timesmost times

• No paved roads: No paved roads: Hens, goats, and Hens, goats, and pigs run freepigs run free

• Cooking on a small Cooking on a small charcoal stovecharcoal stove

• Mostly no Mostly no refrigeration, no refrigeration, no electricityelectricity

• Zem, taxi or foot Zem, taxi or foot transportationtransportation

Life celebrationsLife celebrations

• Communions Communions (confirmation)(confirmation)

• BirthsBirths• WeddingsWeddings• FuneralsFunerals• Dance on Sunday Dance on Sunday

nightsnights• Salsa on Wednesday Salsa on Wednesday • Dinners at home or Dinners at home or

mackysmackys• Voodoo celebrationsVoodoo celebrations

MealsMeals

• Everyone is invited to join if dinner timeEveryone is invited to join if dinner time• Women prepare all day with the help of Women prepare all day with the help of

neighborsneighbors• Fresh fish, chicken or meatFresh fish, chicken or meat• Staple food: manioc, corn, rice, potatoes, Staple food: manioc, corn, rice, potatoes,

platens, served with sauce made of hot platens, served with sauce made of hot peppers, pimento, special red dates and peppers, pimento, special red dates and tomatoestomatoes

• No desert most timesNo desert most times• Beer or wine (vine, palm, corn)Beer or wine (vine, palm, corn)• Eat with hands or silverwareEat with hands or silverware• Dishes washed by hand. Sometimes share Dishes washed by hand. Sometimes share

dishes (guests eat first).dishes (guests eat first).

My friendsMy friends

• RadegondeRadegonde: : cashiercashier

• PaulinePauline: artist, : artist, craftscrafts

• JanineJanine: crafts, : crafts, sellerseller

• GuirlaineGuirlaine: tennis, : tennis, shopshop

• JocelynJocelyn: jurist: jurist

ProfessionsProfessions

• Most women are selling Most women are selling and buying in marketsand buying in markets

• Hair dressers/ Hair dressers/ ManicuristsManicurists

• Lawyers or juristsLawyers or jurists• SeamstressesSeamstresses• MidwivesMidwives• SecretariesSecretaries• LibrariansLibrarians• Financial bankersFinancial bankers• Computer teachersComputer teachers

CustomsCustoms

• Phones are Phones are extremely expensive extremely expensive so people buzz you so people buzz you and hang up.and hang up.

• People are often late People are often late or just don’t show or just don’t show up.up.

• Houses are not Houses are not decorated, and decorated, and usually walls are in usually walls are in need of paint.need of paint.

ReligionReligion

• 30% are Muslims: women are head 30% are Muslims: women are head coveredcovered

• 20% are Christians20% are Christians• 50% voodoos50% voodoos

Most people still practice voodoo which is Most people still practice voodoo which is not just a religion but a culture and a way not just a religion but a culture and a way of life.of life.

Old secrets though are dying with an aging Old secrets though are dying with an aging population of wise men. Women are left population of wise men. Women are left out, though they do consult the out, though they do consult the féticheurféticheur..

The weatherThe weather

• Two rainy seasons, water flocks, people Two rainy seasons, water flocks, people just don’t go out. Temperature drops just don’t go out. Temperature drops from 90 to 80 and people wear coats.from 90 to 80 and people wear coats.

• One dusty season when the Armattan, One dusty season when the Armattan, wind from the Sahal desert blows. All wind from the Sahal desert blows. All is white. Sun is red most day. This is white. Sun is red most day. This lasts one to 2 months. Everything is lasts one to 2 months. Everything is very dry then.very dry then.

• In Burkina Faso in April, it was 100-110 In Burkina Faso in April, it was 100-110 degrees everyday.degrees everyday.

SummarySummary

• Women hold their place in society, Women hold their place in society, mostly second to menmostly second to men

• Advances are slow to come byAdvances are slow to come by• In educated families women are In educated families women are

becoming closer to menbecoming closer to men• We have lots to learn from Africa. We have lots to learn from Africa.

Concentrate on their cultural wealth.Concentrate on their cultural wealth.• There is hopeThere is hope