Greetings,
Thanks for these comments (by the way, Ylva Hernlund is a Ms., not a Mr.).
First of all I want to point out that in the book we do discuss the issue
of terminology and that the word "circumcision" in the title is in
quotation marks. Also, I am not sure that Mr. Conteh, if he actually read
the book, would find that it is as simple as a matter of "Western" ideas
versus African ideas. There is a great deal of complexity in how this
issue is perceived both inside and outside Africa.
I could not agree more that Africans themselves should write on this
issue, and you will find that several of the contributors are indeed
African women. We tried as much as possible to represents the viewpoints
of all angles, and for the activist perspective, people like Amie at
GamcoTRAP were invaluable and many of their ideas are represented in the
book and their reports cited in its bibliography so readers can do more
research on their own.
Best, Ylva Hernlund
On Tue, 27 Mar 2001, AMIE BOJANG-SISSOHO wrote:
> Congratulations to the authors.
>
> Mr.Conteh,
> I agree with you that Gambians need to write about Female circumcission, I
> would refer to as FGM. For your information women activists in the Gambia
> are working hard on that. GAMCOTRAP has documentation on the it. The
> problem I think is beyond who the author is but who approves the information
> for various reasons, one of them is resistance to change. As part of the
> women advocates for the eradication of the practice, we have been accussed
> of being influenced by the west. I wonder if such people stop to think that
> we have gone through the practice and know exactly what we are talking
> about. When the woman voices out her opinion all sorts of theings are said
> including betrayal of our culture. Culture as we all know is not static,
> and it is suppose to serve people for survival and development. Who is to be
> believed the man or the woman who remembers every stage of it and not just
> imagining what had happened?
>
> On the issue of publishing, the opportunities for publishing books are no
> readily available to Gambian women campaigning to stop all harmful
> traditional practices affecting the health of women and children, we have
> written reports on what the situation is at the GAMCOTRAP library which is
> being accessed by members of the public. Once again, the author's cultural
> perception is important but as intelligent people reading, we can deduce
> what is the essence from the text. The problem I will emphasise is
> attitudinal and the desire for continuity of such practices under changing
> circumstances.
>
> Thanks for reading.
> Amie.
>
> >From: Lamine Conteh <[log in to unmask]>
> >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
> ><[log in to unmask]>
> >To: [log in to unmask]
> >Subject: Re: Authors in Our Midst
> >Date: Tue, 27 Mar 2001 06:43:42 -0500
> >
> >Dr. Saine:
> >
> >I am happy to join you in congratulating
> >Dr. Tejan Sallah and Mr. Ylva Hernlund.
> >
> >Though I believe that western ideology
> >should not be used to stop female
> >circumcision, I am impressed that
> >a Gambian would bring it to print. My
> >concern is that Mr. Hernlund's western
> >ideas might be of concern to our cultural
> >beliefs. This sensitive issue should
> >be dealt with from a religious perspective.
> >
> >Naphiyo,
> >
> >Comrade ML Jassey-Conteh
> >
> >------Original Message------
> >From: Abdoulaye Saine <[log in to unmask]>
> >To: [log in to unmask]
> >Sent: March 26, 2001 4:30:11 PM GMT
> >Subject: Authors in Our Midst
> >
> >
> >G-L Community:
> >I wish to bring your attention to two recently published volumes in
> >African Studies by two of our own as co-editors. They are:
> >
> >THE NEW AFRICAN POETRY: AN ANTHOLOGY, Edited by TANURE OJAIDE and TIJAN
> >M. SALLAH, June 2000/ 233 pages, pb $17.95.
> >
> >FEMALE "CIRCUMCISION" IN AFRICA: CULTURE, CONTROVERSY, AND CHANGE,
> >Edited by BETTINA SHELL-DUNCAN and YLVA HERNLUND, February 2001/ 352
> >Pages, pb $22.50.
> >
> >Both volumes are published by and can be purchased from: LYNNE RIENNER
> >PUBLISHERS, 1800 30th STREET, SUITE 314(101-2), BOULDER, CO 80301.
> >
> >Both volumes come highly recommended. For example, THE NEW AFRICAN
> >POETRY "reverberates with a diversity of styles, themes, and ideologies
> >that have made a conscious break with Africa's stagnant colonial
> >literary heritage."
> >
> >And FEMALE CIRCUMCISION IN AFRICA is "a remarkably coherent
> >collection... Definitely the most exhaustive, well-refrenced, and
> >thoughtful book-length work produced on the subject."
> >
> >To Ylva and Tijan, congratulations for an excellent job and for your
> >contributions to the African Studies discipline. Tijan and Ylva deserve
> >our support. Buy both copies.
> >
> >Cheers!
> >Abdoulaye
> >
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