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AEGIS European Conference on African Studies
11 - 14 July 2007
African Studies Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands
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Gender and Death: Cultural and social attitudes influencing the burying of tillborn babies among the Kaonde of Zambia
| Panel |
55. Gender and death in Africa
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| Paper ID | 100 |
| Author(s) |
Ngambela, Willie
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| Paper |
No paper submitted
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| Abstract | This paper will give an insight of how gender and death are related. This will be revealed by analyzing how cultural and social influence has on burying of stillborn babies among the Kaonde. Kaonde is one of the ethnic groups found in Zambia. It belongs to the Bantu speaking groups of people.
In this paper I will try to give various ways in which the Kaonde define stillborn babies. I will also explain how culture can influence an ethnic group in matters of gender and death. This will answer the question as to why among the Kaonde stillborn babies are buried by elderly women only and no man is involved and yet in the African societies funerals are considered to be ‘ours’ where both men and women are supposed to work along side each other. The fact that only elderly women are the ones that bury stillborn babies, to me is a gender disparity.
The paper will look at how gender differences and gender relations have been institutionalized in death and mourning rituals among the Kaonde. It will also reveal how construction of masculinity and femininity in relation to questions of life and death are being expressed among the Kaonde when burying stillborn babies.
Other gender aspects to be considered will be on how society perceives stillbirth. Does society regard a woman who has a stillbirth (especially if that is the first pregnancy) as still to be considered a mother? How do mothers/fathers perceive stillbirths?
I will also discuss the myths, taboos and beliefs associated with burying of stillborn babies among the Kaonde? Do the Kaonde believe in reincarnation or rebirth or in what? If culture changes from time to time, and is also dynamic, then why are the Kaonde still resilient in their traditional beliefs on the burying and mourning of stillborn babies? Has globalization had an impact on the burying of stillborn babies? Is there any culture hybridization noticed in the burying of stillborn babies among the Kaonde in the post millennium?
This paper will also investigate whether burying of stillborn babies does create any social classes among the Kaonde.And what identity has burying of stillborn babies brought among the Kaonde.
Other issues to be investigated are why mothers to stillborn babies are secluded and never allowed to attend the burial of their babies? Are these mothers affected psychologically? What mourning rituals are performed? What are their meanings? The paper will mention some symbols identified during the burying of stillborn babies.
The paper will also ask questions on why burying of still born babies is performed by elderly women among the Kaonde and yet the Kaonde practice a patriarchy system where men have influence over women. Why have the men allowed such a practice? I will also find out whether women have gained power, prestige and influence in societies by performing the burying of stillborn babies.
(total words 499)
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