Deconstructing The Perception Of Feminism As A Western Concept Through The Voices Of East African Women Writers

Abstract

There has been an enduring debate about the place of feminism in Africa. Is feminism a purely western concept? Is it ―unafrican‖ to be a feminist? Does it go against the culture and tradition of an African woman to want anything more than a submissive position in the home and society? Semantics have come into play with a number of African women choosing not to be labeled as feminists even as they engage in ―feminist work‖. This study seeks to give voice to women writers through their literary works on the place of feminism in Africa and specifically in the East African region. Using a close reading of Margaret Ogola‘s The River and the Source (1994), and Elieshi Lema‘s Parched Earth: A Love Story (2001), this work set out to analyse feminist thought through characterization, language and form. How the authors use their characters to give voice to feminist issues and reveal power relations. It also analyses the presentation of feminist thought through social cultural institutions, structures and norms such as marriage, polygamy, dowry, and motherhood as an institution. The research seeks to understand how women negotiate around these institutions to establish their position in society. Lastly the research seeks to provide a definition of ―feminism‖ in the East African region according to the two authors in a backdrop of numerous definitions of what African feminism is. African feminism and feminist literary analysis theories are key in providing a reading into the feminist issues raised through the characters in the novels as well as the language and imagery used. Textual analysis has been used as a methodology to bring out the feminist issues in the texts. In addition to this, the ABC of gender analysis is a tool that guides in language and power analysis. By so doing this study adds to the body of literature on feminism from the East African region and deconstructs the notion of feminism as a western concept. Until now African women have been spoken for and people thought that the East African region lacks enough literature to support feminism as an African concept experienced by African women. Women writers provide a voice to African women and give their characters life to speak about their strength and how they negotiate the patriarchal institutions that operate to undermine them. East African women do not seek to overturn power but rather seek ways to negotiate set traditional institutions and appropriate power for themselves through hard work and developing a sense of independence. Feminism ideology is a lived experience by African women. The study recommends future research focusing on describing ―East African feminisms‖ versus other areas in the continent like ―West African feminisms‖ and ―South African feminisms‖