Niger River Delta Tribe Anthropology of Gender Essay

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Girls is an ethnographic documentary detailing a female rite of passage in a small island community in the Niger River delta in Africa. The film's purpose is primarily to illustrate the conflicts that emerge as cultures find themselves perched between two worlds: the world of old customs and traditions, and the world of globalized culture and its customs, values, and norms. However, Monday's Girls is also about gender issues, and how gender issues are at the forefront of every culture's ability to remain relevant. The film touches upon many related issues such as cultural relativism, and the filmmakers show that it is difficult to make a clear judgment for or against preserving traditions like those of the Waikiriki.

Rather than suggest a clear moral stance about the female rite of passage, the filmmakers illustrate the complexities and ambiguities involved in studying culture. Even within its own people, there are sometimes conflicts between honoring one's ancestors and traditional customs and being wiling to assert one's independence from the community. In Monday's Girls, a key role is played by Azikiwe, the 22-year-old who had left the village when she was twelve in order to study music in a big city. Being away for ten years exposed Azikiwe to Christianity and other emblems of colonial culture as well as to general global cultural norms. As a result, Azikiwe is deeply ambivalent about the rite of passage. She initially agrees, understanding that the rite means something to her family and to her identity as being part of the community. Yet when it comes time for one of the core components of the rituals, Azikike balks. One of the initial segments of the rite of passage is walking through the village bare breasted, something that Azikike does not feel comfortable doing. Whereas her more traditional brethren perform this act enthusiastically, Azikike refuses and therefore brings shame upon herself and her family. Her willingness to stand up for herself may seem admirable from within a Western cultural framework and point-of-view. From the Waikiriki perspective, though, Azikike has insulted many generations of women and thereby ostracizes herself from her family and her community.

The repercussions for social deviance are high in all societies. In many ways, the bold refusal to participate in the rite of passage signifies something that happens in all cultures, as individuals risk breaking crucial social ties in order to express their values and beliefs. When an individual's values and beliefs differ sharply from those of the norm in the community, the consequences include social isolation and potential identity crises as well. If Azikike returns to a strong community of friends in the city, then her struggles might be mitigated by her being involved in a sort of surrogate family. Otherwise, she may suffer socially and psychologically, as she is no longer truly welcome in her community of origin.

The filmmaker juxtaposes Azikike's story with that of Florence, who "does not see [the ritual] as being old fashioned," and who feels honored to play a role in it. Florence looks forward to the rite of passage, which includes five weeks of isolation with other initiates spent in what is called the "fattening room." Like animals, the young women are retained inside a special room in which they are treated well and fed as much food as possible so they can plump up for a healthy pregnancy.

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Their appearance and their physique are perceived of as highly desirable to the men they will marry, marking the young women as being ready to assume the burdens of motherhood as well as the roles and responsibilities of matriarchs in their community. The elder Waikiriki women have a significant degree of social and political power in their village, being fully in control of the women's rite of passage and the ritualistic laws and codes associated with that rite. Therefore, there are no clear-cut lines drawn between the old customs and the new in terms of which provides more freedom and liberty for women. The Christian communities in urban Africa provide no more gender equity than the rural communities like those depicted in Monday's Girls. The filmmaker does an excellent job revealing the ironic similarities between old and new cultures in the film, implying as it does the power bestowed upon women in Waikiriki social life.

Whereas the ritual brings "joy and pride" to Florence, it embarrasses Azikike, who fashions herself as a "modern" woman. From her point-of-view, the "fattening room" symbolizes the restricted roles of women in traditional communities, as women are confined to their domestic duties. Yet even in "modern" societies, women frequently find themselves assuming domestic duties at the expense of participation in economic or political life. The "iria" ritual does not pose any significant health risks to the women, even though they are fattened up and not permitted much exercise. Even though the traditions are based on superstition alone, such as the use of nipple squeezing to determine virginity, the rite of passage is not harmful to women as are barbaric customs like female genital mutilation. In this case, the ritual is simply something that the young women do prior to their eventual marriage. The issue of choice and free will do arise in the film, as Azikiwe sees the ritual as being emblematic of women's lack of choice in their lives. This may be true, which is why she has elected to leave the community in favor of a life that seems more suitable to her worldview. Therefore, ultimately women do have a choice, but their choices may bear strong consequences like exile from the community. The film connects with all class readings on gender and sexuality, showing the ways in which women's bodies and their sexuality are typically constructed via social norms. It is clear to see that the "iria" ritual allows the women to feel proud and unashamed of their bodies and sexuality, whereas Azikiwe's Christian modesty symbolizes shame and other negative values associated with….....

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