Sexism and misogyny in selected proverbs of the Chaga of Machame
Abstract
This work employs a feminist perspective to examine how some proverbs of the
Chaga of Machame portray a sexist ideology that supports patriarchal relations as
well as social systems or environments in which women face cultural
stereotyping. It discusses the impressions that some proverbs create and how
such impressions set rules which govern how women are, should be treated and
how they are expected to behave. It has been argued that some life-long gendered
attitudes towards women are evident in the selected proverbs and that they take
part in the creation of a social system which explains how women are seen,
represented and how gender relations are organized, promoted, and shaped. The
paper shows that proverbs constitute a powerful rhetorical device for the shaping
of moral consciousness, opinions, and beliefs.
Key words:
Oral literature, Sexism, Gender studies, Chaga oral art, Proverbs
Introduction
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