First there was Miwiru. Its not known who came before Miriwu. Miriwu sired Sigoma, Sigoma sired Owiny, Owiny sired Kisodhi, Kisodhi sired Ogelo, Ogelo sired Otondi, Otondi sired Obongo, Obongo sired Okoth, and Okoth sired Opiyo. The women who bore them, their name are forgotten, for that was the way of our people.
The above is a paragraph in Chapter 19 of Barrack Obama’s Dreams of My Father. Barrack Obama, his brothers and sisters listen to Granny tell them the stories of their father and grandfather.
Reading the statement makes me wonder: how true!
- why are the names of our African mothers forgotten when its time to list geneaologies, when its time to trace one’s roots,
- why are the names of our African mothers forgotten when its time to give credit for a good child, for a great accomplishment,
- and generally, when we talk about ‘who gave birth to whom’, why does it have to always be the Father.
- why is the average African the child of his Father, not of his mother?
related posts:
Myne Whitman
October 13, 2009
Why do you think people say it’s a man’s world? And it’s not just in Africa. The bible only listed male lineage as does most genealogy.
MyPenMyPaper
October 13, 2009
@Myne,
hhmmm, ‘its a man world’ – I believe it should be ‘as the saying goes’ – not the norm, at least in todays world.
On the Bible’s listing of male lineages, you know thats one thing that always got me asking questions, as in: why doesn’t the Bible list the mothers of Bible Characters. Why is it usually: and THIS begat THAT, and THAT begat THIS. I would want to believe that all those THIS AND THAT men had mothers.
Thanks for dropping by,
btw: nice blog you got there.