Gambia-L,
I found this article in FOROYAA Newspaper and thought I should scan and
share it with you. The article is interesting because it shows how some of
our women live very unhappy lives due of some of the bad traditional
practices.
I take my hat off for Sisters like Amie Bojang, Satang Jobarteh, Amie
Sillah and others I don't know of for their efforts to fight for better
conditions for our women.

regards,
Momodou Camara

--------------------------

Intervew With Isatou A peasant Woman From The Provinces by Amie Sillah


Isatou is a peasant woman from the provinces. At the moment she is staying
with a maternal uncle in the city. She is undergoing some problems with her
husband. Her story is very pathetic. She would like to sha
re it with our
readers listen to her.

FOROYAA: Isatou you are in a depressive mood can you spill it out to relief
yourself from agony?

Isatou: Yes, that is true. I am in a state of depression. I am talking to
every body. I am now talking to FOROYAA to let go so that your readers can
hearmy predicament.

FOROYAA: Go on we are listening.

Isatou: I am a woman of 30 years from a family of 10 kids. The language
grouping I belong to boast of big families and male children. A big family
is considered blessed with many children including many males. We are only
three girls from 10 children family. Both my parents are alive. Our family
lost two boys at infancy. I do not go to school but I went to Madarassa.

FOROYAA: Would you have loved to get conventional education?

Isatou: Yes, I would have loved to because conventional school offers more
job opportunities and still you will lear
n about religious knowledge in
Madarassa I learn about my religion but no job opportunity.

FOROYAA: Have your brothers been exposed conventional schooling?

Isatou: Yes four of them attended and two were sent to a neighbouring
country to master the koranic scriptures. Now they are performing as big
marabouts in Europe and America. They are staying with their families there.

FOROYAA: All their families or some of them?

Isatou: Some of them. Their first wives are with them. Their second and
third wives are stayig in the provinces with our extended families. But
they send their allowances for the family upkeep.

FOROYAA: Now to the immediate topic, no diversion.

Isatou: My story is sad. I was doing well in Madarassa. In fact I use to
top my class in ever exam. My Oustas (teacher) used tosay that if I were
his daughter he would have sent me to school. At every graduation ceremony
I
 would be called upon to present a poem in Arabic and recite the Holy
Koran.
I spoke the languag as an Arab. My intelligence made my Oustass to be very
fond and proud of me.
Suddenly my schooling had to be interrupted.

FOROYAA: Why?

Isatou: Because an old Marabout in my town was interested in me. He is my
father's age group. I fascinated him because of my youth, beauty and
mastery of the Koran.

FOROYAAA: Were you interested in him?

Isatou: Emphatically no. I was and am still not.

FOROYAAA: You should by guess.

FOROYAAA: NO I would not guess. I want the readers to hear it from your
very mouth.

Isatou: I did not want my husband because of the age difference and at the
same time I did not love him. I regarded him as my father. In fact he is my
father's friend and associate. And moreover I was in love with a young
brother in America. We used to correspond
 in Arabic. He went to a
conventional school and he did Arabic. In fact he was more fluent than some
of madarassa's students. I was deeply in love with him. He saw in me a
future which he wanted to tap. Our vision was that when we will get
married. And when I meet him in the states he would have sent me into a
conventional school and to study my area of choice. I was very excited and
thrilled until the terrible interruption. I cried everywhere for help but
to avail. I was advised by a family friend to come to my relatives in the
city.

FOROYAAA: Did you do that?

Isatou: That's what I did exactly. I came to the city relatives and
abandoned my parents at the country side. They were furious. They
threatened to take court action against my city maternal uncle. My maternal
uncle is a learned scholar. He is very verse in the Koran.
He is a radical. He condemns all cultural malpractices against women. He
said
how our women are treated in our communities is unislamic; that our
women are treated as beasts of burden and according to the Koran they
should be treated as angels. He was not in good terms with our town folks.
They see uncle Omaru as a dessident, rebel. He did not care so long as he
tell them the truth.

FOROYAA: How did your parents felt when they heard you were staying with
Uncle Omaru?

Isatou: They were furious. They sent some envoy asking him to let me go
back the town to consummate my, marriage to grand dad.

TO BE CONTINUED (I will try and scan the final part as soon as possible)

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Source: FOROYAA (Freedom) NO: 39/2002 8 - 10 July, 2002 ISSN: 0796- 08573
Address: FOROYAA, P.O.Box 2306, Serrekunda, The Gambia, West Africa
Telephone: (220) 393177 Fax: (220) 393177
Email ad
dress: [log in to unmask]
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