Well I finished it last night, it ended on a very pro sisterhood note, which I thought was well done, especially considering the overwhelming amount of female competition you see in the Polygamy community
There was some problem with the integration of Polygamy within the Islamic community due to the patriarchal structure of the religion and the lack of preparation for men and women for marriage and Polygamy. It seems that compared to the Ausar Auset and African Hebrew Israelite community. Muslim women are far less integrated into the community, less likely to be involved in the ideology of 'community building' also (by community building, I am referring to the afrocentric notion of building a strong, self sufficient religious community) since they are far more mainstream than women of the other two groups.
Funnily enough I went to a Mosque on Sunday for an community open day. Having never been to a Mosque before I was excited to see inside (oooh their carpets are lovely) they also gave out some literature, I haven't actually read most of it but one booklet mentioned Polygamy and why Polygyny is ok but not Polyandry, of course there is no real justification besides a religious one, which I am happy to accept is the case and something one accepts if you accept that people have a choice to worship as they want but I can't help but get annoyed at social reasons given like "because women get hormonal they won't be able to fulfil a wifely role to more than one man" Grrrrrrrrrr!!!!
Although quite obviously from an African American viewpoint,I would recommend this book to other women of the African diaspora and marginalised people from other communities also. To be honest when I was reading about the economic conditions of African American males I couldn't help but think of how this is the case in many working class communities over here regardless of ethnicity, if we women were to stop looking at other women as Sisters rather than competition I think that would be of benefit to the whole community and relationships in general.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
One Love Natja.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your review and I really appreciate your comments about sisterhood in the African diaspora community. I think that you're correct about your observation that women in polygamist communities can be or are competetive with each other in a really bad way. I've seen it in West Africa, the U.S. and the Caribbean and it's rare to find sisters who are involved with the same men happy or relating in a healthy manner. In fact, most black women seem either to always be affraid that someone will take their man or want to take someone else's man. I haven't been around many who feel that they can honestly have a poly relationship.
Kenya K. Stevens has helped to push the discussion and the sex positive multiple love liestyle in the black community in a really good way. And I know that she also lived with the Auser Aset community in DC. I came across them a lot when I lived there around the same time as Kenya and her husband I just wish that I had become more involved in their community. Though Kenya and her husband Carl are no longer members so it seems.
Blessed love.
Thank you for Kenya Stevens name, I will look her up. Ausar Auset have an event on Sunday, I thought I may go.
ReplyDeleteOne Love Natja.
ReplyDeleteWow! I thought that you were still on a remote island in Scotland..How can you get to the Auset Aset event so easily? I imagine that it's London somewhere, correct? I too will be contacting the local Ausar Aset community which is in Brooklyn. They have a lot of knowledgeable people in their midst. I dealt with them before and many of them are good healers and artists.
Thanks for everything.
Blessed love.
Yes sorry, I am in London at the moment, the event is in North West London. Check it out....
ReplyDeletehttp://www.ausarausetsocietyeurope.com/untitled1.html