Ow Di Bordi - How are you feeling?
I awoke around 5:30am to the serenade of roosters. For anyone who has lived in the Caribbean this is a familiar way to begin the day- and there is no sense in trying to sleep through this especially when one of the Toms is in your own backyard.
The view from the house in the breaking daylight is breathtaking. It’s hard to believe that this country is laden in poverty and standing on the stilts of a shaky socio-economic infrastructure. Sierra Leone is filled will lush lands begging to be refined through agriculture. The maritime also teams with an abundant resource of fish. All this coupled with the country's other natural resources keep the international community salivating and plotting on how to acquire the country's commodities.
On this day I met up with some companions at Hotel Barmoi for lunch. Owned and operated by a native Sierra Leonean, Hotel Barmoi is in Lumley not far from the beach (nothing here is far from a beach) The hotel has hosted the likes of David Beckham & its beautiful views overlook the ocean. On this day the owner has arranged entertainment by an African dance troupe and a buffet style brunch. I am enamored, this is the stuff they teach us in class at Alvin Ailey in NYC – but these guys are good – great in fact. It seemed like the perfect spot to conduct a discussion on a rather touchy subject.
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| Live entertainment at Hotel Barmoi |
One of my hosts arranged for me to meet with Peter a U.N. staff journalist/photographer of 7 years. It is here that I will open my discussion about gender equality issues as well as the practice of FGM (female genital mutilization or cutting) and its eradication. During our discussion I am warned that FGM is a sensitive issue that should be engaged in a pragmatic way.
“Because the Sierra Leonean population is composed of practicing tribes, many of the women you will talk to have undergone the ritual,” the Peter explains.Lucy, my friend and student of Sierra Leone's Fourah Bay college explains the sensitivity to the topic this way,
“Most of the girls who I attend school with that have undergone the ritual, regret having gone through it - but only after the fact. When we discuss sex and relationships they become very defensive because they cannot relate in many aspects of the conversation."
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| The views from the Veranda at Hotel Barmoi |
This could be because FGM is a very old tribal tradition that is still practiced current day. Sierra Leone's population is composed of approx 16 different tribes across the four provinces of the country the likes of which include the Mende, Temne, Krio and Fullah. Female genital mutilization is not considered to be a crime amongst the tribes rather a right of passage for young girls.
The ritual involves circumcising part or all of a girl’s exterior genitalia (labia minor and or majora) and the most extreme form removes the entire exterior genetalia as well as sealing part of the vaginal opening ).
The ritual involves circumcising part or all of a girl’s exterior genitalia (labia minor and or majora) and the most extreme form removes the entire exterior genetalia as well as sealing part of the vaginal opening ).
The preparation process is comparable to a Sweet 16 birthday celebration and the purpose of the ceremony is akin to that of a Bat Mitzvah. This ritual will signify the girl’s coming of age in her community. She will be considered an adult capable of marriage and a contributing member of her tribe. The preparation, the celebration and the cost paid to the circumciser can be a costly measure.
“Of course you want to do it. They buy you new clothes, jewellery, you get your hair done, and gifts.” Most girls can’t wait for their turn…”
Says Lucy. She fled her village to move to the city with her extended family when her father was preparing Lucy for the ritual
Says Lucy. She fled her village to move to the city with her extended family when her father was preparing Lucy for the ritual
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| Freetown |
I later find out while visiting the outer regions how women who refuse to undergo the practice become outcasts and social pariahs, they are even considered not fit for marriage by their own tribes’ men. They are cast out of secret societies that enable them the access to social networking structures within their communities up to and as far as political and government positions. It is alleged that the late wife of Sierra Leone President Ernest Bai Karoma arranged to have a large number of these traditional ceromonies performed free of charge in order to win votes for her husband during his election.
Needless to say, the discussion is spirited and sets the pace for my project.
Peter becomes the first of many men to tell me that the Krios of Sierra Leone do not practice this ritual on their young women. He end off by saying,
"Sufficed to say you can assume that all Krio women are “In tact” and for this reason, they are pursued by all men."
