AWING PROVERBS: FROM PATRIARCHY TO FEMINIST REVOLT

Abstract

  Awing is a village found in the North West Region of Cameroon with a population of about 60000 inhabitants according to A wing Palace statistics (Shedmankah 2009:3). Awing society has moved from a patriarchal and hierarchical society to egalitarianism, from homogeneous society to heterogeneous one within the same indigenous set up. The patriarchal and hierarchical society in which the man takes initiative alone and controls production is now changing to one in which the woman has started taking initiative thus revolting against chauvinism and assuming her independence. This paper demonstrates though proverbs that there is a shift /move from the ideology of conservatism to that of egalitarianism in the Awing society as a result of the influence of contemporary issues. It also illustrates the role of the Awing female in social cohesion as spelt out in their proverbs. Proverbs are the wisdom of the ancestors and the best way of preserving language. So analysis of proverbs will show the present male hegemony and how women are revolting against it. The problem this paper raises is that there is a shift in ideology in Awing society. This will create confusion and destroy social cohesion. The moral value of proverbs will diminish in Awing community and people will become less interested in the use of proverbs, the excesses of the feminist movement is going to destabilise the Awing society. The African man has a role to play as well as the woman. If these roles are destabilised, there is no unity or social cohesion. Social cohesion takes place when each person plays his role. The fact that the feminist movement is attacking the traditional tenet of unity is dangerous and can never bring unity. About 90 proverbs are analysed using the (post) Marxist approach. Through these proverbs, the African thought in relation to the on-going struggle for women emancipation is expressed. These proverbs are collected from the Awing society and transcribed in the Awing language. The free translation method is used to bring out the English version with concentration on the context of the proverb and not on Grammar.