My mind's eye saw this young Maasai girl as one who will face the future unafraid. --Photo by Pat Bean
“A good question is never answered. It is not a bolt to be tightened into place but a seed to be planted and to bear more seed toward the hope of greening the landscape of idea.” – John Ciardi.
African Safari: A Conversation With Bilal
Kim asked Bilal if there were any female guides.
“Some of the other guides do, but I don’t,” he said.
“Huh?” Kim replied.
It seems Bilal thought she had asked him if he ever “visited” girls in the local villages in the evenings when he wasn’t driving us around Tanzania.
His answer when he finally understood the actual question was: “Oh no. They would be too afraid.”
Both replies were telling, I thought.
Our conversations with Bilal revealed a lot more about Africa than what could be seen with the eyes. Of course, we two “uppity” women tried to open Bilal’s eyes as well.
I suspected we were unsuccessful when he laughed in disbelief after Kim told him about our friend, Janice, and my daughter-in-law, Karen – two American women who both hold martial arts’ black belts.
Of course, there are things in life to be afraid of, like hippos that are at the top of the list of Africa's most dangerous mammals. -- Photo by Kim Perrin
“Now those are two women who could even kick your butt,” Kim had said.
But while respectful of our opinions, and us, we could see that Bilal didn’t believe her.
Later, when we were in Kenya, we visited a local Maasai tribe where a couple of the men demonstrated a game played with stones. This time I asked the question: “Do women also play the game?”
The stone game -- played only by men. -- Photo by Kim Perrin
“Oh no. They can’t understand it,” was the response given through our Swahili translator.
My tongue hurt from biting back the retort. We were, after all, guests in another country.
It wasn’t until the Maasai men were demonstrating to us how high they could jump from a standing position that I could once again smile.
A gaggle of young boys were imitating the men – as was one young girl.
She was with the women off to the side, and jumping despite the gentle hand on her shoulder, laid there by one of the women to try to get her to desist.
Perhaps, I thought, she will grow up to be a guide. There was certainly no look of fear in her face.
So misogyny isn’t dead!! And the gender roles are accepted by women as well. When I was in high school, I wanted to take auto mechanics – oh no, girls weren’t allowed to take auto mechanics. I’m glad to see that sort of thing change somewhat in my lifetime. But we still have a long way to go.
Hope she grows up to change a nation.
Isn’t it amazing, to see the vast differences in culture and the ideas and attitudes people take? When you really start to talk to people in other countries, it can be startling.
On a funny note, the stone game is Mancala. My family and friends are crazy board game players/lovers/collectors and I’m fairly sure most of us have a copy of this game. I (gasp, a girl) have been playing it for years. I don’t always win, but I certainly understand how to play.
Different worlds and different cultures. I wonder how much change will be forced of their cultures (good and bad) before they can have a chance to evolve their ideas?
The western world changed very slowly, but now we expect these other peoples to conform to our supposed normal, very quickly.
Looks like you are having a great trip Pat, Its busy here in France – building work – I hope to get out into the hills next week. The weather forecast is good.
Take Care,
Jim
Yes Jim . The world, including me, is way to quick to judge. Thanks for the reminder, although I still weep for the Maasai women and children. My African safari, by the way, is a recap of a 2007 trip while I’m sitting here for the summer at Lake Walcott in Idaho. It’s beautiful here and I see changes in the landscape daily as I walk with Maggie. Nature amazes and energizes this old broad. Hope you get out to the Hills as planned, and that it’s everything you hope it to be. Thanks for commenting.
Keep writing … Pat Bean https://patbean.wordpress.com