Sweeping very early in the morning used to be a girl’s task, and girls also hid themselves from the sight of others. Mzagisenga Salima is curious to hear from her mother these and other stories from Rwandan culture. Were they really schooled separately? Did boys mainly hunt? Gahongayire Chantal fills in these gaps, speaking not only about her own girlhood, but her mother’s as well. Mzagisenga Salima asks for more stories. Family stories about Mzagisenga Salima’s mother are told about a close mother-daughter bond, and about her grandmother’s great value for getting support from other women. Through storytelling, Mzagisenga Salima and Gahongayire Chantal are following in the grandmother’s footsteps.
“Every important opportunity around was meant for brothers only?” Mzagisenga Salima
“It is always good to ask your questions…it was due to our parents’ illiteracy! Their wish was to see a girl maintaining the home, and wait for the moment to get married! Things have totally changed from the past; rituals and those taboos no longer take people’s time.” Gahongayire Chantal
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SFH0066.pdf | 1.04 MB |