Scholar Refutes Stereotypes

In the sixth Women's History Week event, a visiting scholar from the University of Kenyatta spoke yesterday about the tradition of African female activism.

Before an audience of 20 gathered in Emerson Hall, Teresia Hinga challenged stereotypical views of African women as passive and submissive.

"One of the most enduring stereo types of African women is that they are victims of oppression but are in different to it," said Hinga, who is also a research associate at the Divinity School.

"I have a problem with the view that [they] cannot perceive themselves as victims," she said. "There is a long tradition of the awareness of in justice."

Hinga also argued that African feminists are not "trying to follow their Western sisters."

"African feminism is sometimes interpreted as cultural imperialism and a manifestation of women's vulnerability to being swept by the current," the African scholar said.

But "contemporary African feminism has an identifiable root in African history," she said.

Hinga cited events in Kenya's past to illustrate the tradition of African women's activism.

According to Hinga, "women formed a group called the Shield to protect their daughters against circumcision" during the colonialist period.

"While they wanted to resist cultural imperialism, they saw that much of their own culture was oppressive," she said.

Contemporary African women have upheld the activist tradition, according to Hinga. She told the story of religious leader Gaudencia Aoko, who baptized women "kept out of the church because they were members of polygamous households."

Hinga said religion plays an important role in the lives of female activists.

"Religion becomes a refuge where women can take cover," she said.

"It is also perceived as a source of empowerment in the struggle against injustice," Hinga added.

Not only have African women worked against sexism, they have also participated in struggles that were not strictly "men versus women," according to Hinga. She said they have also worked actively to protect the environment.