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Mothers Of The Nation: Manyano Women In South Africa
192 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
October 23, 2022
Mothers Of The Nation, food for thought about the way women have always organised themselves along religious lines and confines. Only 160 pages.
I have yet to hear of a "Man of Prayer", but prayer warriors, women of valour, Proverbs 31 Woman and basadi ba thapelo, ba bantsi. These faith-based women-only organisations have contributed to the role women played in struggles for liberation. From offering refuge to destitute and vulnerable women, to hiding political activists in apartheid times, running soup kitchens in marginalized areas and visiting the sick and lonely in hospitals.
A well researched and put together book. Lihle starts off by positioning Manyano in a carefully curated historical context, then gives her family history and the generational journey of the women within her family, then anecdotes from different women on the importance of being a part of this organisation. This took me back to when we accompanied my granny to her Wednesdays' prayer with the Green and Yellow women of ZCC. How we were encouraged to stay pure so that we could join Makgarebe later in our teen years. How the girls who fell pregnant were shunned and ostracised while the boys who fathered those babies were revered and treated like demi Gods. This is what was said about sex in The First Woman, "...women (are socialized to) view sex as precious while men view it as a snack..."✊🏿
A good and well researched project. Definitely gave me a different perspective on BoMme Ba Thapelo. I have a renewed respect for my friends whose Green and Yellow, Black and White, Red and White, uniforms are precious to them. We all want to belong somewhere. We all want to believe in something and hope and faith keep us grounded.
Mothers Of The Nation unpacks women relationships from a deeper level. Very reflective and will move you to join your own Manyano. Well their uniform is better designed and fits well... I'd join if they would let me put a net on my hat😉😉😉😉
#lorrainerecommends #lorrainereviewsbooks
@nbpublishers Dankie, san.
I have yet to hear of a "Man of Prayer", but prayer warriors, women of valour, Proverbs 31 Woman and basadi ba thapelo, ba bantsi. These faith-based women-only organisations have contributed to the role women played in struggles for liberation. From offering refuge to destitute and vulnerable women, to hiding political activists in apartheid times, running soup kitchens in marginalized areas and visiting the sick and lonely in hospitals.
A well researched and put together book. Lihle starts off by positioning Manyano in a carefully curated historical context, then gives her family history and the generational journey of the women within her family, then anecdotes from different women on the importance of being a part of this organisation. This took me back to when we accompanied my granny to her Wednesdays' prayer with the Green and Yellow women of ZCC. How we were encouraged to stay pure so that we could join Makgarebe later in our teen years. How the girls who fell pregnant were shunned and ostracised while the boys who fathered those babies were revered and treated like demi Gods. This is what was said about sex in The First Woman, "...women (are socialized to) view sex as precious while men view it as a snack..."✊🏿
A good and well researched project. Definitely gave me a different perspective on BoMme Ba Thapelo. I have a renewed respect for my friends whose Green and Yellow, Black and White, Red and White, uniforms are precious to them. We all want to belong somewhere. We all want to believe in something and hope and faith keep us grounded.
Mothers Of The Nation unpacks women relationships from a deeper level. Very reflective and will move you to join your own Manyano. Well their uniform is better designed and fits well... I'd join if they would let me put a net on my hat😉😉😉😉
#lorrainerecommends #lorrainereviewsbooks
@nbpublishers Dankie, san.
September 3, 2021
I just wish the writing was a little more accessible, I would have loved to share it with all the Manyano Women in my life. It read more like a thesis than a book. However, I was actually really happy that this organisation was treated with enough respect for serious academic enquiry to be conducted on it.
It would have been really nice to show this to mom and my grandmothers. I think they would have really appreciated the care and detail that Lihle went through to explore this organisation that I think is the backbone of communities like my own. I would have loved to hear them add on the experiences of the women who were interviewed.
As a “born free”, I did not really know the role that this organisation played in anti-apartheid activism. It just shows how far reaching the apartheid system was.
As someone who grew up surrounded by Manyano women, I know for sure that they are mothers of the nation. I know that they they take pride in ubufazi and motherhood, in all its forms.
I hope in the future Lihle writes a more accessible version of this book for all the Mothers of the Nation to read and have their experiences validated.
It would have been really nice to show this to mom and my grandmothers. I think they would have really appreciated the care and detail that Lihle went through to explore this organisation that I think is the backbone of communities like my own. I would have loved to hear them add on the experiences of the women who were interviewed.
As a “born free”, I did not really know the role that this organisation played in anti-apartheid activism. It just shows how far reaching the apartheid system was.
As someone who grew up surrounded by Manyano women, I know for sure that they are mothers of the nation. I know that they they take pride in ubufazi and motherhood, in all its forms.
I hope in the future Lihle writes a more accessible version of this book for all the Mothers of the Nation to read and have their experiences validated.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 21, 2021
Such a fantastic piece of research in the Manyano women. We need more feminist literature based in real life experiences which can complicate understandings of womanhood and feminism especially within an African context.
Here is my interview with the author. https://www.thedailyvox.co.za/manyano...
Here is my interview with the author. https://www.thedailyvox.co.za/manyano...
April 9, 2021
I loved the authors lived experience, that read easy. I had difficulty theorising the experience. I understand what the author achieved, however this read more as a thesis than a book. The research is well designed, but it is not a book I buy my gran to validate her experience. It is a book you buy to understand the theoretical aspects of this society. Left me disappointed.
March 8, 2025
An interesting look into communities and organisations and how they attempt to foster inner strength and bond together to make harsh communities liveable.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews