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Crossroads: Women Coming of Age in Today's Uganda
African women stand at a crossroads between traditional culture and modern times. Now you can read their own stories in their own words in what one African reader describes as "an intriguing collection of human experiences in a fantastic yet delicate basket...a cultural keepsake." What do you do when your education qualifies you for high-level professional work but your culture says you, as a woman, should kneel before men? When sex education stresses how girls should please men – even by making painful changes to their own bodies? Or when your family haggles with your fiance’s family over how many cows you are worth? Similarly, how would you make sense of your life if you spent your childhood sleeping in the bush every night to avoid marauding rebel soldiers? If you were held and tortured in a secret prison on a vague suspicion that you were linked to an enemy of the government? If imported religions tell you to denounce your parents’ and grandparents’ faith? Or if western-trained doctors can’t heal local afflictions but many of your peers dismiss traditional healers as quacks or witchdoctors? In describing these and other dilemmas, these African women writers will surprise you as they strike a balance between past and future. Their stories will make you laugh and cry, simultaneously demonstrating what makes Africa unique and celebrating what unites people across cultures. Ultimately, their life stories will leave you celebrating the enduring strength of the human spirit.
- GenresNonfictionAfricaUganda
178 pages, Paperback
First published June 3, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
May 30, 2016
Summary: Narratives of fourteen Ugandan women on various aspects of growing up in a Ugandan society in the midst of political upheaval, the intersection of traditional and modern ways, between repression and reform.
I've written in the past about the need to read diverse books, to listen to diverse voices, and not simply western White voices of my own political and religious persuasion. Among the voices I've wanted to listen to are women's voices. I'm also aware that as Americans, we have not often listened to African voices, at least I haven't. So when the editor of this collection of narratives, a former Wall Street Journal reporter and editor, contacted me about possibly reviewing this book, I made an exception to my usual rule of saying no to these kind of review requests. It was worth it.
You can't really argue with narratives. You either listen and learn, or shut your ears and eyes. The narratives of these women capture the incredible beauty of a culture where people take time for relationships, where a village really does raise (or did raise) a child, and the wisdom of elder women, and village herbalists. The narratives also capture a great deal of pain of a conflict-ridden society in the midst of rapid social change.
The opening essay describes how people are "pigeon-holed" into religious categories by names, and the difficulty of adopting a traditional African name when the two categories are "Christian" or "Muslim". Other essays describe the clashes of traditional and modern culture around things like sex education and gender roles, including the difficulty a woman who loves sports has until a movement of women athletes in various sports gains traction. There is the transition from traditional forms of discipline like caning to more enlightened forms. One essay explores the labyrinthine organization and ineffectiveness of western NGOs working in the country.
An underlying theme in several essays is the syncretic religious beliefs of many of these women, and the impact of modernity upon them. It is apparent that for many, whatever Christianity they experienced was more rules and ritual that a theology or a worldview that informed those rules and ritual. Often it was a pastiche of traditional beliefs in spirits and demons mixed in with Christian or Muslim practices. Often it was interwoven with social structures that were repressive of women, permitting severe abuse, incest, rape, spousal violence, and polygamous marriages when woman did not bear sons. One essay describes the struggle of being lesbian in a society where this could lead to rape or murder. Little wonder that as a number encountered university education, that they threw off much of their religious backgrounds, in particular the parts that weren't African, or were most repressive.
Some of the most disturbing narratives are those written about the personal effects of political disruption and guerrilla warfare in the post-Idi Amin years. One essay describes the arrest, imprisonment, and torture of two women unaware of the charges for which they were undergoing this torment, resulting in the death of one of them. Another tells of fleeing to the jungle each night to escape the forces of Joseph Kony, and slaughter or abduction, returning to the village each day.
I found myself with nothing but admiration for the resilience of these women, who experienced so much and live in the hope of a better Uganda. As a Christian, I was troubled by the portrayals of Christianity in these essays. Again, you cannot argue with the narrative, but only listen and learn, and it was clear there are lessons for the church, both in Africa, and the West, if we will listen.
I also wondered if these are the only narratives. Were other women finding liberation, not from, but within religious communities, seeing the teachings of those communities provide the basis for deep social reform in a changing country, rather than colonialist repression, affirming both the best of what is African, and the justice, mercy, truth and beauty that are at the core of Christian faith? I know of such movements within African societies, but you would not know of them from this collection of essays, which I cannot help but wonder came from a particular circle of women writers.
Still, it is important to listen to these voices if we would understand both the injustices women here, and elsewhere in the world, face, as well as the aspirations of such women for a better world for their children, more opportunities in every sphere of life, equal partnerships with those they love and form families with, the chance to have their own name. And they help us understand the struggles of so many African societies to negotiate the paths between village and clan traditions and outside influences of faith, commerce, and learning.
But will we listen?
____________________________
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
I've written in the past about the need to read diverse books, to listen to diverse voices, and not simply western White voices of my own political and religious persuasion. Among the voices I've wanted to listen to are women's voices. I'm also aware that as Americans, we have not often listened to African voices, at least I haven't. So when the editor of this collection of narratives, a former Wall Street Journal reporter and editor, contacted me about possibly reviewing this book, I made an exception to my usual rule of saying no to these kind of review requests. It was worth it.
You can't really argue with narratives. You either listen and learn, or shut your ears and eyes. The narratives of these women capture the incredible beauty of a culture where people take time for relationships, where a village really does raise (or did raise) a child, and the wisdom of elder women, and village herbalists. The narratives also capture a great deal of pain of a conflict-ridden society in the midst of rapid social change.
The opening essay describes how people are "pigeon-holed" into religious categories by names, and the difficulty of adopting a traditional African name when the two categories are "Christian" or "Muslim". Other essays describe the clashes of traditional and modern culture around things like sex education and gender roles, including the difficulty a woman who loves sports has until a movement of women athletes in various sports gains traction. There is the transition from traditional forms of discipline like caning to more enlightened forms. One essay explores the labyrinthine organization and ineffectiveness of western NGOs working in the country.
An underlying theme in several essays is the syncretic religious beliefs of many of these women, and the impact of modernity upon them. It is apparent that for many, whatever Christianity they experienced was more rules and ritual that a theology or a worldview that informed those rules and ritual. Often it was a pastiche of traditional beliefs in spirits and demons mixed in with Christian or Muslim practices. Often it was interwoven with social structures that were repressive of women, permitting severe abuse, incest, rape, spousal violence, and polygamous marriages when woman did not bear sons. One essay describes the struggle of being lesbian in a society where this could lead to rape or murder. Little wonder that as a number encountered university education, that they threw off much of their religious backgrounds, in particular the parts that weren't African, or were most repressive.
Some of the most disturbing narratives are those written about the personal effects of political disruption and guerrilla warfare in the post-Idi Amin years. One essay describes the arrest, imprisonment, and torture of two women unaware of the charges for which they were undergoing this torment, resulting in the death of one of them. Another tells of fleeing to the jungle each night to escape the forces of Joseph Kony, and slaughter or abduction, returning to the village each day.
I found myself with nothing but admiration for the resilience of these women, who experienced so much and live in the hope of a better Uganda. As a Christian, I was troubled by the portrayals of Christianity in these essays. Again, you cannot argue with the narrative, but only listen and learn, and it was clear there are lessons for the church, both in Africa, and the West, if we will listen.
I also wondered if these are the only narratives. Were other women finding liberation, not from, but within religious communities, seeing the teachings of those communities provide the basis for deep social reform in a changing country, rather than colonialist repression, affirming both the best of what is African, and the justice, mercy, truth and beauty that are at the core of Christian faith? I know of such movements within African societies, but you would not know of them from this collection of essays, which I cannot help but wonder came from a particular circle of women writers.
Still, it is important to listen to these voices if we would understand both the injustices women here, and elsewhere in the world, face, as well as the aspirations of such women for a better world for their children, more opportunities in every sphere of life, equal partnerships with those they love and form families with, the chance to have their own name. And they help us understand the struggles of so many African societies to negotiate the paths between village and clan traditions and outside influences of faith, commerce, and learning.
But will we listen?
____________________________
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
March 2, 2016
For full review please go to: 5girlsbookreviews.blogspot.com, Twitter @camartinez and Facebook "5 Girls Book Reviews"
REVIEW BY: Michaela, age 11 years, 8 months
MAY CONTAIN SPOILER:
Ummmmmm...I wouldn't really recommend this book for kids, some of the stories are okay for kids and some are not because they talk about more adult things. I had to skip over those types of stories.
However, this is a really good book and I find it amazing to hear about these women's lives. The women really put so much into writing their stories that it is absolutely unbelievable. It is very emotional and made me cry a few times.
My favorite stories were about the girl with sores and Metallic Glory.
REVIEW BY: Michaela, age 11 years, 8 months
MAY CONTAIN SPOILER:
Ummmmmm...I wouldn't really recommend this book for kids, some of the stories are okay for kids and some are not because they talk about more adult things. I had to skip over those types of stories.
However, this is a really good book and I find it amazing to hear about these women's lives. The women really put so much into writing their stories that it is absolutely unbelievable. It is very emotional and made me cry a few times.
My favorite stories were about the girl with sores and Metallic Glory.
July 7, 2016
A collection of 15 essays by Ugandan women, edited by Christopher Conte. The editor states he wants to illuminate a culture, rather than produce a book in which an outsider would dissect Africa. He succeeds in this. The essays present very different versions of life for a Ugandan woman. They make the reader understand that a generalized stereotypical view of life for women in Africa is not accurate - there are many stories on many topics from many very different women. And I am sure that the stories of these Ugandan women are in no way reflect all African women, or even all Ugandan women.
This book was free from the publisher/author in exchange for an honest review.
This book was free from the publisher/author in exchange for an honest review.
May 26, 2023
Great collection of essays penned by Ugandan women. They reflect on things like: gender norms impacting their childhood, sexuality, religion, living in diaspora, and even a scathing chapter on NGOs.
August 28, 2016
Being a woman myself, it was easy for me to empathize with all the authors. Hats off to the Christopher for putting forth this awesome collection.
This anthology comprises of fifteen essays written by fifteen women from Uganda. Each essay is a reflection of the social fabric of the country and brings out its different facets. A real treat when it comes to understanding a new culture. The best part of these reflections are that they are not isolated, as in, many of the thoughts have a universal appeal. The social surroundings separate the gravity of various issues discussed.
Its not easy to compile an anthology with stories that have a strong emotional content attached to them. Hats off Chris for putting together these beautiful masterpieces. Each story is like a jigsaw puzzle piece and together they make a lovely picture.
The writings are simple. However, there are issues like sexual abuse, violence, child abuse, and the like, thereby making this book out of reach for children. Yet, ask any woman who reads this and she will be able to truly empathise with the writings. The narration tugs your heart and I had a lump up my throat while I was reading a few pieces. The stories bring out issues that every woman, irrespective of gender, society or country, would have faced at some point of her life.
I cannot pick up favourites because each one evoked an emotion I cannot explain. There was pain, there was dejection, sense of loss, despair. How a simple name can lead to an identity crisis.Yet there was a feel of hope glimmering in the end. Hope for a better life, hope for the future. And, nothing in this world can be lost if hope acts as a guiding light. You would feel like sending only good wishes and pleasant thoughts to all the fifteen women who have shared their stories.
To sum up, this anthology is one collection that I as a reader would love to read again, especially when I am down in the dumps and at crossroads in my life. The stories help in not just bringing out realities of a woman's life, they exude hope for a brighter future.
P.S- Chris, loved this anthology. You helped give me stories to reach out to when I end up reaching the crossroads of my life.
September 2, 2015
Crossroads is a collection of true life stories written by 13 Ugandan women. It covers various topics from sex education, culture, religion, education among others. It gives some of the challenges women in Uganda face growing up in a male dominated society and its impact in society.
May 6, 2016
I was not expecting this to be as brutal as it was. The collection of real life stories pulls no punches; it's gritty and visceral retelling of quite harrowing events. Powerful stuff!
Book received as Goodreads Giveaway.
Book received as Goodreads Giveaway.
February 1, 2016
Review coming up on my blog! Thanks to the author for sending me a copy of the book!
November 21, 2017
*I was gifted a copy of this book by the editor*
Crossroads is a fascinating anthology comprising autobiographical essays by several Ugandan women. I loved the opportunity to learn more about the Ugandan culture and the upbringing of African women and how it is different from the upbringing of Black women here in America. Rarely do we hear of what these women endure so it was refreshing to read about it. All of the stories have a common Coming-of-Age theme where the women discuss their experiences coming into womanhood among the customs and traditions of their country. We learn about their childhoods, sex, marriage, career, and livelihood.
All of the stories were compelling but there were a few that really stuck out for me more than the others. I enjoyed the opening story, for instance, about the meaning of names and the cashier treating the woman unfairly because of her name. Personally, I can relate to having a unique name myself and I am often asked the same questions that Nakisanze Segawa was asked.
There were two stories that had the biggest impact on me above all the others. The young women taken from their school without a word and abused the way they were was heartbreaking. I also found the customs surrounding the Ssengas fascinating. By custom Ssenga’s are paternal aunts who assume special responsibilities and help to guide the women, their “nieces” in the ways of society. They teach the women how to behave, submit to a man, how to display class and grace, they monitor their manners and their ways around the house.
Ssengas teach young women about their bodies, about hygiene and sex and ultimately prepare them to be good wives. I love the concept of having someone there to mentor young women and to ensure they grow to be respectable wives and mothers. The fact that the Ssengas take over this role and not the mother is interesting to me. I found myself wondering if it would help for young women in the States, especially young Black women without mothers, to have this kind of guidance and support instead of having to figure things out on their own or in the street.
What I enjoyed least about the role of the Ssengas is that their teachings go too far, at least based on the testimonies of the women. It’s one thing to teach young women about their bodies, about sex, how to be respectable and how to be wives but the extent to which these women are obligated to serve their husbands is, in my opinion, oppressive. Some of the acts, in fact, were downright disgusting and unnecessary. I should be clear that I am all for submission. I believe that women are to submit to their husbands like the bible instructs and that the man is the spiritually ordained head of the household.
The problem I have is ways in which Submission has been portrayed, defined, twisted, and distorted all over the world. Not only do women in America have a concept of submission that is not, in my opinion, accurate but so do women in other countries. Submission is not slavery and a man’s authority over his wife does not exempt him from certain duties and responsibilities or give him the permission to be abusive.
I believe that if done properly, submission and authority can work well but if not done correctly, can easily look like slavery as it, sadly, often does.
There are some great qualities that are promoted in Uganda that many women across the globe can benefit from but then there are some things that we may find strange if we didn’t grow up that way.
In what way does earning degrees and having an education balance with being good wives? Do the women defy tradition or follow it?
Crossroads is a fascinating anthology comprising autobiographical essays by several Ugandan women. I loved the opportunity to learn more about the Ugandan culture and the upbringing of African women and how it is different from the upbringing of Black women here in America. Rarely do we hear of what these women endure so it was refreshing to read about it. All of the stories have a common Coming-of-Age theme where the women discuss their experiences coming into womanhood among the customs and traditions of their country. We learn about their childhoods, sex, marriage, career, and livelihood.
All of the stories were compelling but there were a few that really stuck out for me more than the others. I enjoyed the opening story, for instance, about the meaning of names and the cashier treating the woman unfairly because of her name. Personally, I can relate to having a unique name myself and I am often asked the same questions that Nakisanze Segawa was asked.
There were two stories that had the biggest impact on me above all the others. The young women taken from their school without a word and abused the way they were was heartbreaking. I also found the customs surrounding the Ssengas fascinating. By custom Ssenga’s are paternal aunts who assume special responsibilities and help to guide the women, their “nieces” in the ways of society. They teach the women how to behave, submit to a man, how to display class and grace, they monitor their manners and their ways around the house.
Ssengas teach young women about their bodies, about hygiene and sex and ultimately prepare them to be good wives. I love the concept of having someone there to mentor young women and to ensure they grow to be respectable wives and mothers. The fact that the Ssengas take over this role and not the mother is interesting to me. I found myself wondering if it would help for young women in the States, especially young Black women without mothers, to have this kind of guidance and support instead of having to figure things out on their own or in the street.
What I enjoyed least about the role of the Ssengas is that their teachings go too far, at least based on the testimonies of the women. It’s one thing to teach young women about their bodies, about sex, how to be respectable and how to be wives but the extent to which these women are obligated to serve their husbands is, in my opinion, oppressive. Some of the acts, in fact, were downright disgusting and unnecessary. I should be clear that I am all for submission. I believe that women are to submit to their husbands like the bible instructs and that the man is the spiritually ordained head of the household.
The problem I have is ways in which Submission has been portrayed, defined, twisted, and distorted all over the world. Not only do women in America have a concept of submission that is not, in my opinion, accurate but so do women in other countries. Submission is not slavery and a man’s authority over his wife does not exempt him from certain duties and responsibilities or give him the permission to be abusive.
I believe that if done properly, submission and authority can work well but if not done correctly, can easily look like slavery as it, sadly, often does.
There are some great qualities that are promoted in Uganda that many women across the globe can benefit from but then there are some things that we may find strange if we didn’t grow up that way.
In what way does earning degrees and having an education balance with being good wives? Do the women defy tradition or follow it?
November 16, 2017
Crossroads is an anthology of essays by women writers from the present day, Uganda. The essays are the personal experiences of the writers. Dealing with various themes, the essays present in this collection bring into light the voices that have hitherto been muffled.
There are 15 essays in this book, which can also be called as short stories. Actually they are all personal narratives. The essays are full of ideas. They are throbbing with the desires of transcending all the boundaries and embracing new thoughts. There is this desire of reaching as high as one can, while retaining his/ her roots.
The women writers featured in this collection are the women who have behind them a past which is very different from their glowing future. They are standing at Crossroads- a point where the traditional past crosses the modern future (or I’d rather say present). They are at a point which is similar to the point where we Indians are standing today. These women have to decide whether to put nail paint on their hands or pick up a pen with those hands. And they choose both the options.
African culture has always fascinated me. So, I gladly accepted this book for review. This book gave me what I was expecting from it, that is a peep into the culture of Uganda. And it felt great reading about a culture which is similar to our own in many ways. They believe in several superstitions like we Indians do, they have something known as bride’s wealth which is a sort of dowry and then homosexuality is still a taboo there.
There were several points where I could relate with the authors. A medley of emotions is what one experiences while reading the lucid writings present in the book. This book tells the readers, in a very clear manner, what it means to be a woman in Uganda. I would recommend this to anyone who is looking for something light that offers an insight into the African culture.
My Rating: **** (3.5/5)
*I was given a copy of this book by the editor, in exchange for an honest review. Views expressed are entirely personal and unbiased.*
There are 15 essays in this book, which can also be called as short stories. Actually they are all personal narratives. The essays are full of ideas. They are throbbing with the desires of transcending all the boundaries and embracing new thoughts. There is this desire of reaching as high as one can, while retaining his/ her roots.
The women writers featured in this collection are the women who have behind them a past which is very different from their glowing future. They are standing at Crossroads- a point where the traditional past crosses the modern future (or I’d rather say present). They are at a point which is similar to the point where we Indians are standing today. These women have to decide whether to put nail paint on their hands or pick up a pen with those hands. And they choose both the options.
African culture has always fascinated me. So, I gladly accepted this book for review. This book gave me what I was expecting from it, that is a peep into the culture of Uganda. And it felt great reading about a culture which is similar to our own in many ways. They believe in several superstitions like we Indians do, they have something known as bride’s wealth which is a sort of dowry and then homosexuality is still a taboo there.
There were several points where I could relate with the authors. A medley of emotions is what one experiences while reading the lucid writings present in the book. This book tells the readers, in a very clear manner, what it means to be a woman in Uganda. I would recommend this to anyone who is looking for something light that offers an insight into the African culture.
My Rating: **** (3.5/5)
*I was given a copy of this book by the editor, in exchange for an honest review. Views expressed are entirely personal and unbiased.*
September 16, 2017
*I received a copy of this book to be honestly reviewed*
This was powerful! The stories showed me a side of things I didn't even know existed, and struggles I am have been sheltered enough to not really have known about. The women telling their truths in this book put their hearts into it, and each and every one of them was moving, showing the lives of these incredible people. Wonderful collection!
Bob says: 5 Platypires
This was powerful! The stories showed me a side of things I didn't even know existed, and struggles I am have been sheltered enough to not really have known about. The women telling their truths in this book put their hearts into it, and each and every one of them was moving, showing the lives of these incredible people. Wonderful collection!
Bob says: 5 Platypires
July 14, 2018
I received this book in a giveaway sometime ago, but I didn't pick it up until recently. These stories were very eye-opening and in some cases harrowing. I couldn't believe some of the things these women had to go through growing up, their perseverance was outstanding. This book really did illuminate the culture of young women growing up in today's Uganda and I really appreciate the women that shared their stories, it isn't an easy thing to do.
October 2, 2022
An interesting compilation of writers and subjects. I picked this up at the Entebbe Airport years ago and it has shamefully sat on my bookcase since. I like that the essays encompass such a wide range of topics - from names, religion, marriage, sex, motherhood - while all of them struggle with the balance between tradition and colonialist "modernism" all of these women are feminists, and all are able to highlight the challenges of todays Uganda.
May 15, 2018
Voices in harmony, singing different parts of a complex nation's song
A quick read, and I loved the glimpses into the realities of lives I'll never live. We share this blue dot in space, but our experiences and perspectives are so very different; sometimes I think the only way to gain any sense of our tapestry, is to pause and listen deeply to one another's stories.
A quick read, and I loved the glimpses into the realities of lives I'll never live. We share this blue dot in space, but our experiences and perspectives are so very different; sometimes I think the only way to gain any sense of our tapestry, is to pause and listen deeply to one another's stories.
March 24, 2019
This was a great read! It was brutally honest about the experiences of the women highlighted in it.. The writing was extremely raw and unfiltered, so I would keep that in mind if deciding to read it. I feel that the writing style was important in creating an urgency to the telling of the stories of these women. Highly recommend!
September 12, 2021
This book is awesome to learn about so many stories from different women in Uganda. It presents topics ranging from naming to what is/was traditionally expected from wives. The topics are presented through personal stories of women in Uganda and often put the past in perspective with the present. An insightful read about the changes in Ugandan society from women's perspective.
May 5, 2018
3.5 Stars. A collection of 15 essays by Ugandan women. It is great to read stories by woman who wrote about their life and challenges in Uganda. In ways there were similar but also totally different stories. Women of all kinds can learn something from the women's stories.
July 29, 2017
I won this from a goodreads giveaway!
In a shocking turn of events, people are people. Loved the hot take on NGOs!
In a shocking turn of events, people are people. Loved the hot take on NGOs!
October 7, 2017
Really enjoyed it, but wish there were more rural/ village stories and not all urban women
January 10, 2021
Good insight into the lives of Ugandan women from first- hand accounts.
March 19, 2022
A collection of essays by Ugandan women who have navigated the Traditional and Modern culture. I enjoyed them all, even though at times the stories were heartbreaking.
October 23, 2016
Fascinating. I love that these women were given a voice.
March 30, 2016
With an eclectic mix of fifteen essays, Editor Christopher Conte in Crossroads: Women Coming of Age in Today's Uganda has put together a broad base of themes contributed by several women authors from Uganda.
As Conte writes in the Introduction, the goal of these stories is to illuminate a culture through autobiography rather than create another travelogue in which outsiders dissect Africa. It should be pointed out that the contributors did not want to have anything to do with fitting African stories to stereotypes depicting the continent as either long suffering and helpless (and hence in need of rescue) or as “somehow noble and attached to nature (and hence the envy of some people in the 'developed' world).”
I have to admit after reading these essays that the anthology succeeds beautifully and there is no question that they are rarely short on impact. It is not often that we have the opportunity to have a peek into the lives of a wide variety of women from Uganda who are not timid in exploring a plethora of topics including some that are extremely personal while others painful.
Take for example Shifa Mwesigye's Seengas and the Single Women where readers are enlightened about the ancient Ugandan tradition of seengas who are paternal aunts and assume special responsibilities similar to godparents. In addition to teaching young girls how to behave, these women also teach young virgin girls about their bodies, including shaving and washing their lady parts, how to act in bed with their husbands and the movements they are expected to follow. They are also compelled to adopt the tradition of “visiting the bush” and the painful “pulling” or elongating the labia minora of the vagina, which is often performed when girls are in the bush on errands such as collecting firewood.
Mweisigye points out us that initially she did not know why she was forced to follow this tradition, however, eventually she learned that elongating the labia was meant to help future husbands enjoy sex. Apparently, it was believed to help keep the vagina warm and enhance foreplay. And as she states: “it seems, a woman's life of service begins with reshaping her body.”
In The Girl with the Scars, Hilda Twongyeirwe describes her horrendous ordeal with ugly scars that were spread over her legs that made her the butt of many jokes and teasing at the hands of her peers. It seems that one day she awoke with an itch on her left leg and she scratched it. This in turn led to the spreading of boils on both of her legs and the doctors were at a loss as to their cause. Everything was attempted to rid this poor girl of these boils including applying various creams, witchcraft, as well as other remedies.
Finally, a long trip to a woman who was not exactly enamoured with the white man's medication nor their hospitals came to the rescue. Her remedy was the mixing of herbs in a calabash, and smearing them on Hilda's legs. She then mixed another set and gave her to drink informing her that the white man's medicine is extracted from our herbs. and that is why they are potent. After one week all the wounds had dried and there were no more new boils. Hilda concludes her essay with the following: “Today the scars remain but with passage of time, the feeling is different. I do not think about the scars, even when I decide to wear a mini skirt or shorts. As my mother always told me, it is not the teeth that smile but the heart.”
As Conte states, the stories definitely shatter stereotypes as the authors bring with them a fresh perspective to topics ranging from religion and politics to sports and health.
They are also an impressive testament to the precision of Conte's eye and his editing pencil in including them in the anthology. Although, as Conte mentions, Westerners may find the stories at times surprising in fact they are really not surprising. Moreover, even though we may come from a different culture, we can still identify with them as these women seem remarkably like their counterparts in America and Europe with their various concerns.
Follow http://goo.gl/gnMuIJ to Read Norm's Interview With Christopher Conte
As Conte writes in the Introduction, the goal of these stories is to illuminate a culture through autobiography rather than create another travelogue in which outsiders dissect Africa. It should be pointed out that the contributors did not want to have anything to do with fitting African stories to stereotypes depicting the continent as either long suffering and helpless (and hence in need of rescue) or as “somehow noble and attached to nature (and hence the envy of some people in the 'developed' world).”
I have to admit after reading these essays that the anthology succeeds beautifully and there is no question that they are rarely short on impact. It is not often that we have the opportunity to have a peek into the lives of a wide variety of women from Uganda who are not timid in exploring a plethora of topics including some that are extremely personal while others painful.
Take for example Shifa Mwesigye's Seengas and the Single Women where readers are enlightened about the ancient Ugandan tradition of seengas who are paternal aunts and assume special responsibilities similar to godparents. In addition to teaching young girls how to behave, these women also teach young virgin girls about their bodies, including shaving and washing their lady parts, how to act in bed with their husbands and the movements they are expected to follow. They are also compelled to adopt the tradition of “visiting the bush” and the painful “pulling” or elongating the labia minora of the vagina, which is often performed when girls are in the bush on errands such as collecting firewood.
Mweisigye points out us that initially she did not know why she was forced to follow this tradition, however, eventually she learned that elongating the labia was meant to help future husbands enjoy sex. Apparently, it was believed to help keep the vagina warm and enhance foreplay. And as she states: “it seems, a woman's life of service begins with reshaping her body.”
In The Girl with the Scars, Hilda Twongyeirwe describes her horrendous ordeal with ugly scars that were spread over her legs that made her the butt of many jokes and teasing at the hands of her peers. It seems that one day she awoke with an itch on her left leg and she scratched it. This in turn led to the spreading of boils on both of her legs and the doctors were at a loss as to their cause. Everything was attempted to rid this poor girl of these boils including applying various creams, witchcraft, as well as other remedies.
Finally, a long trip to a woman who was not exactly enamoured with the white man's medication nor their hospitals came to the rescue. Her remedy was the mixing of herbs in a calabash, and smearing them on Hilda's legs. She then mixed another set and gave her to drink informing her that the white man's medicine is extracted from our herbs. and that is why they are potent. After one week all the wounds had dried and there were no more new boils. Hilda concludes her essay with the following: “Today the scars remain but with passage of time, the feeling is different. I do not think about the scars, even when I decide to wear a mini skirt or shorts. As my mother always told me, it is not the teeth that smile but the heart.”
As Conte states, the stories definitely shatter stereotypes as the authors bring with them a fresh perspective to topics ranging from religion and politics to sports and health.
They are also an impressive testament to the precision of Conte's eye and his editing pencil in including them in the anthology. Although, as Conte mentions, Westerners may find the stories at times surprising in fact they are really not surprising. Moreover, even though we may come from a different culture, we can still identify with them as these women seem remarkably like their counterparts in America and Europe with their various concerns.
Follow http://goo.gl/gnMuIJ to Read Norm's Interview With Christopher Conte
July 19, 2016
I enjoyed reading this, despite the fact that this was an Interlibrary Loan that I've put off reading for a while so that I had to speed through some bits since the deadline was rearing its ugly head, but I managed to read all of the essays. None of them I particularly disliked (though I felt a faint sense of distaste for Harriet and her terrible poem), all of them provided me with some kind of valuable information or another about what some of the issues that Ugandan women might face in their day-to-day lives. While they all wrote sensibly (I actually enjoyed this more than I thought I would - I was bracing myself for a lot of annoying handwringing about culture; there was a fair bit of that in this collection of essays, but I think the writers for the most part discussed these issues pretty decently so I'm fine) - none of them, however, were extraordinary essays so I can't quite rate this book too high. Also, there's a printing error in my edition of the book so the pages of like 11-28 thereabouts were jumbled all over the place which made it difficult to read, so that didn't help.
There are some good ones though - I liked and appreciated the two essays that Peace Twine wrote, I was interested that they got an atheist Ugandan woman (Lydia Namubiru) to write an essay about the syncretic religious beliefs that goes on in continental Africa, and I also liked her essay "It's Complicated" and its comments on the role of the West in Africa.
A couple of concluding thoughts:
1) On Feminism, Portrayal of Women in Western Media and African Notions of Woman
In one of the essays, the writer Mwesigye writes: "And like many of my peers, I had fed on American soap operas, which depicted married women shouting at their husbands to cook, clean and otherwise divide domestic chores.” Later on, Namazzi writes about how she would not want to use physical means or corporate punishment to punish her children and that she " vowed to love them the way white people do in movies".
I found this interesting, especially given the current political climate that's settled onto most college campuses - why do these Uganda women see something rather different from the women in America often see? Obviously, their cultural surroundings make them more sensitive to certain differences but that's a red herring because that's not getting to the heart of my question. Namely, why do these Uganda women interpret American TV as showing dominant women ordering their husbands about and demanding to be treated as equals as opposed to the feminist narrative of how women are being horribly under-represented and are being oppressed by men etc. etc.
2) I thought Namubiru's concluding remarks about the role of the West in Africa was a pretty nuanced (though incomplete) picture of the situation:
There are some good ones though - I liked and appreciated the two essays that Peace Twine wrote, I was interested that they got an atheist Ugandan woman (Lydia Namubiru) to write an essay about the syncretic religious beliefs that goes on in continental Africa, and I also liked her essay "It's Complicated" and its comments on the role of the West in Africa.
A couple of concluding thoughts:
1) On Feminism, Portrayal of Women in Western Media and African Notions of Woman
In one of the essays, the writer Mwesigye writes: "And like many of my peers, I had fed on American soap operas, which depicted married women shouting at their husbands to cook, clean and otherwise divide domestic chores.” Later on, Namazzi writes about how she would not want to use physical means or corporate punishment to punish her children and that she " vowed to love them the way white people do in movies".
I found this interesting, especially given the current political climate that's settled onto most college campuses - why do these Uganda women see something rather different from the women in America often see? Obviously, their cultural surroundings make them more sensitive to certain differences but that's a red herring because that's not getting to the heart of my question. Namely, why do these Uganda women interpret American TV as showing dominant women ordering their husbands about and demanding to be treated as equals as opposed to the feminist narrative of how women are being horribly under-represented and are being oppressed by men etc. etc.
2) I thought Namubiru's concluding remarks about the role of the West in Africa was a pretty nuanced (though incomplete) picture of the situation:
“To transport their raw material produce, colonialists built roads and railways. To avoid social anarchy as a result of rebellion against the obvious wrongs of colonialism, they built police institutions. Eventually, they even built nations - nations that continue to exist, albeit with a myriad of problems. Yes, colonialists were unjust and exploitative. They advanced their interests at the expense of local communities. But that was nothing new. All kinds of governments, from the pre-colonial monarchies through colonial administrations to the thieving so-called democracies of today have all exploited or disregarded the likes of me to benefit the few. I have come not to care a terrible lot about the race of oppressor.
So there it is - my belated answer to prospective western employer who thought I might have problems with mzungu bosses. It is not one of those questions for which you can force a yes or no answer.
It’s complicated.“
March 31, 2016
This collection of stories by Ugandan women should be read by men, as much as by Non-African women for they are like splinters from a single shattered gourd. As an African myself I smell the heat, the dust, see the swaying hips balancing head- bearing burdens, and above all the rich earthiness of simple honesty. Each concentrates on a single shoot of reflection or incident to grow into a taller stalk. Together they are a small stand of food. Women in Africa grow food and men eat it. So should they consume these nourishing offerings. Each has a different flavour.
The food lies ‘between’ as much ‘within’ each story, and the gourd itself is reshaped in the telling. One talks of taking a stand for her name to be acknowledged, and realising that categories do not exist for her given name, yet stubbornness succeeds and it is finally written down. Another comments on the conceit and insensitivity of NGO do-gooders who speed through with vehicles inscribed with tag lines ‘Defeating poverty’ Bringing hope’. Just stop for a moment and see that: If you are a traditional Ugandan you know natural health and your athletes win Marathons, yet rich Westerners are oblivious of the traditions they trample over. Instead they draw complacent satisfaction and great incomes. It must smart.
Not a single story is a political or emotional tract, these are women easy in their skins, un-seduced by Western alternatives (except sometimes in adolescence through television or music) but what each reveals is the fracture that exists between traditional roles and values, and the increasing fragmentation. The role of women is much in focus, especially to the girl who wants above all to be a boy and be allowed to kick a ball with an aching urgency, before too late. Soon, any village inhabitant will no longer discipline any child within it, without rancour, or the child’s resentment. That collective community who understand the need for a child’s integration collectively can achieve what a single parent struggles with. Even a pair of girls out of a wild spree, smooth their dresses before being seen by some all purpose aunt. The modern earning woman who supports her family must still kneel for her husband.
Mostly these stories reconcile these traditional practices because they are the roots from which each finds a place in the sun. Uprooting is not considered, and those who have tried it have lost their essential peace. Those who haven’t know they will. So it could be called a critical celebration of Uganda whose old face is familiar and loved, although its ways are sometimes restrictive like a grandmother asleep in the shade. Shh don’t wake her!
The food lies ‘between’ as much ‘within’ each story, and the gourd itself is reshaped in the telling. One talks of taking a stand for her name to be acknowledged, and realising that categories do not exist for her given name, yet stubbornness succeeds and it is finally written down. Another comments on the conceit and insensitivity of NGO do-gooders who speed through with vehicles inscribed with tag lines ‘Defeating poverty’ Bringing hope’. Just stop for a moment and see that: If you are a traditional Ugandan you know natural health and your athletes win Marathons, yet rich Westerners are oblivious of the traditions they trample over. Instead they draw complacent satisfaction and great incomes. It must smart.
Not a single story is a political or emotional tract, these are women easy in their skins, un-seduced by Western alternatives (except sometimes in adolescence through television or music) but what each reveals is the fracture that exists between traditional roles and values, and the increasing fragmentation. The role of women is much in focus, especially to the girl who wants above all to be a boy and be allowed to kick a ball with an aching urgency, before too late. Soon, any village inhabitant will no longer discipline any child within it, without rancour, or the child’s resentment. That collective community who understand the need for a child’s integration collectively can achieve what a single parent struggles with. Even a pair of girls out of a wild spree, smooth their dresses before being seen by some all purpose aunt. The modern earning woman who supports her family must still kneel for her husband.
Mostly these stories reconcile these traditional practices because they are the roots from which each finds a place in the sun. Uprooting is not considered, and those who have tried it have lost their essential peace. Those who haven’t know they will. So it could be called a critical celebration of Uganda whose old face is familiar and loved, although its ways are sometimes restrictive like a grandmother asleep in the shade. Shh don’t wake her!
February 14, 2016
Summary: The value of this book for learning about another culture makes me want to tell everyone to pick this up, but the writing was average at best.
"They are rooted in their culture's rich traditions, yet they stand at the cutting edge of change. This is the crossroads where many Ugandan women find themselves today. With dignity and grace, they play a complex social role, balancing worldly sophistication with reverence for the values of their upbringing.In Crossroads, a group of these women explore the past that shaped them and the future they hope to build, telling varied stories about a rapidly changing society where they serve both as guardians of culture and harbingers of reform." (Source)
My feelings about this collection of essays is mixed. I loved that this book helped me start to rectify my complete ignorance about the social and political climate in Uganda. I thought the women who wrote this collection did an impressive job conveying the contradictions they must reconcile every day - tradition and feminism, tradition and imported religions. It was clear to me that there are no easy answers and that individual women might feel torn or even hold multiple contradictory beliefs. As the book went on, the stories dealt with more and more horrifying violence and oppression. These stories included imprisonment, torture, rape, and pedophilia. I felt horror and even fear as I read these stories. I think the women who lived through such terrible events and are now brave enough to share them are incredible people.
Where this collection fell short for me was the writing. I'm fairly certain that this book was written in English, not translated, and I would guess that for most of the authors, English is their second language. This showed in the simplicity of the language and sometimes odd phrasing. The editing wasn't bad, but a handful of typos did also make it through. I debated about how many stars to give this book, because it is a book that I think everyone would benefit from reading. However, I decided that to give a book a better rating simply because it tackles important topics would be misleading. I didn't love this book the way I have some other books that tackle tough topics. I thought it was equally worthwhile, but could still use a little polish.
This review was originally posted on Doing Dewey
"They are rooted in their culture's rich traditions, yet they stand at the cutting edge of change. This is the crossroads where many Ugandan women find themselves today. With dignity and grace, they play a complex social role, balancing worldly sophistication with reverence for the values of their upbringing.In Crossroads, a group of these women explore the past that shaped them and the future they hope to build, telling varied stories about a rapidly changing society where they serve both as guardians of culture and harbingers of reform." (Source)
My feelings about this collection of essays is mixed. I loved that this book helped me start to rectify my complete ignorance about the social and political climate in Uganda. I thought the women who wrote this collection did an impressive job conveying the contradictions they must reconcile every day - tradition and feminism, tradition and imported religions. It was clear to me that there are no easy answers and that individual women might feel torn or even hold multiple contradictory beliefs. As the book went on, the stories dealt with more and more horrifying violence and oppression. These stories included imprisonment, torture, rape, and pedophilia. I felt horror and even fear as I read these stories. I think the women who lived through such terrible events and are now brave enough to share them are incredible people.
Where this collection fell short for me was the writing. I'm fairly certain that this book was written in English, not translated, and I would guess that for most of the authors, English is their second language. This showed in the simplicity of the language and sometimes odd phrasing. The editing wasn't bad, but a handful of typos did also make it through. I debated about how many stars to give this book, because it is a book that I think everyone would benefit from reading. However, I decided that to give a book a better rating simply because it tackles important topics would be misleading. I didn't love this book the way I have some other books that tackle tough topics. I thought it was equally worthwhile, but could still use a little polish.
This review was originally posted on Doing Dewey
February 29, 2016
My minor in college was Women’s Studies, so I’ve read a lot of books similar to this one. Stories of women all over the world; their hardships, as well as the joys in their lives. This one has resonated more with me than many of those I read in college though. It may be because I wasn’t reading this for a class. Or it could be because I’ve had more real life experiences since then, and am able to sympathise with some of the writers. But with many of the stories, it opened an entirely new world to me. One I’ve never thought of before, but now that I know it exists, it will stay with me forever.
I think this book touched me more than others because it was written by the women in a very direct and simple way, making their stories profoundly powerful. A lot of the other books I’ve read about women in other countries were written by an educator trying to understand a culture. Here, the women lay their culture out without any apology or self-consciousness.
In most of the stories there is not a clear cut answer to the problems the women face. They are incorporating new traditions (sometimes Western) with their traditions, and trying to make it work for them. They experience some of the same struggles we do here as women; rape, pedophiles, abuse, and more. But some of what they face is so far from what we deal with, part of me couldn’t even wrap my mind around it. The one instance that really stood out to me was when one of the authors and her friend from college were detained, and then taken to a prison camp, without even knowing why. The trauma they experienced there was something I knew happens. But to actually read an account of someone who went through it was eye opening.
I would encourage everyone, male or female, to read this book. There are so many traumas and miscarriages of justice in this world, and this book reminds us that although you may not be able to fix the system, everyone still needs to do what they can to make a change. The writers in this book are strong women who are living life to the fullest even in the midst of their own doubts, and the sometimes cruel world they live in.
I think this book touched me more than others because it was written by the women in a very direct and simple way, making their stories profoundly powerful. A lot of the other books I’ve read about women in other countries were written by an educator trying to understand a culture. Here, the women lay their culture out without any apology or self-consciousness.
In most of the stories there is not a clear cut answer to the problems the women face. They are incorporating new traditions (sometimes Western) with their traditions, and trying to make it work for them. They experience some of the same struggles we do here as women; rape, pedophiles, abuse, and more. But some of what they face is so far from what we deal with, part of me couldn’t even wrap my mind around it. The one instance that really stood out to me was when one of the authors and her friend from college were detained, and then taken to a prison camp, without even knowing why. The trauma they experienced there was something I knew happens. But to actually read an account of someone who went through it was eye opening.
I would encourage everyone, male or female, to read this book. There are so many traumas and miscarriages of justice in this world, and this book reminds us that although you may not be able to fix the system, everyone still needs to do what they can to make a change. The writers in this book are strong women who are living life to the fullest even in the midst of their own doubts, and the sometimes cruel world they live in.
March 26, 2016
This is a collection of short bibliographies, of educated Ugandan women, in a changing world. The book's description suggests these were stories of "dignity and grace". There is much I don't know about Uganda I'm sure, but I question this description. Rather these were stories of women struggling in a harsh, evolving world. I loved the cover. It has "dignity and grace".
November 12, 2015
I highly recommend this book for anyone wanting to learn more about Uganda, and particularly what it is to-be a woman in Uganda. The writing had occasional rough edges but overall I learned a lot, was transported, found beautiful language and images, and truly just loved this book.
January 24, 2016
Very powerful, very moving stories about life for contemporary women in Uganda.
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