Women in Southern Africa

"By and about African women, this is a unique first-hand account, in essays, interviews and life stories, of the achievements and struggles of women in Southern Africa, and an informed examination of women's role in African society before, during and after colonialism. The historical backdrop is provided in an essay by the editor, South African exile Christine Qunta, who discusses theories of the origins of female oppression, in the context of the dominance of matriarchy as a long-standing tradition in Africa. She also gives fascinating biographical portraits of some of the outstanding women - such as Nehanda of Zimbabwe and Queen Nzinga of Angola - who were rulers and social catalysts in the African continent during a period dating back to 1500 BC. Contributions on contemporary issues cover a wide range. Women still under colonial rule in South Africa and Namibia explain their perception of belonging to an oppressed nation, an oppressed race and an oppressed sex, and their role in the liberation movements, while other topics relate to politically independent countries in the area, including the functions and limitations of women's organizations as vehicles for female emancipation. With the paucity of material available about African women (and the little that exists invariably written by European men and women), this book fills an important gap in African and women's literature and gives a fresh perspective to various issues from a region of the world constantly in the news."