article
Old women in Zulu culture
South African journal of ethnology • 8 • Published In 1985 • Pages: 98-108
By: Brindley, Marianne.
Abstract
Marianne Brindley presents part of the results of her fieldwork among the Zulu people of Nkandla, in which she focuses on the role of women past the age of childbearing. This article, dealing primarily with childbirth, indicates the extensive involvement of old women in the major stages of procreation: conception, pregnancy, confinement, and the postpartum period. Accumulated knowledge and experience, but also associations of purity, appear to be the crucial characteristics determining the roles of old women. The positions of mother-in-law and paternal grandmother in particular, enable a woman to wield considerable power and influence. The author concludes that the action-patterns of old women at a confinement are indicative of an area of cultural life in which women have symbolic power over men (p. 98).
- HRAF PubDate
- 2005
- Region
- Africa
- Sub Region
- Southern Africa
- Document Type
- article
- Evaluation
- Creator Type
- Ethnologist
- Document Rating
- 5: Excellent Primary Data
- Analyst
- John Beierle ; 2004
- Field Date
- 1979-1982
- Coverage Date
- 1979-1982
- Coverage Place
- Nkandla District, KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa
- Notes
- the old woman and childbirth
- Includes bibliographical references (p. 108)
- LCCN
- 88648489
- LCSH
- Zulu (African people)