The Department of Psychology and Education Practicum Two Group Two of the University of Education, Winneba, has called for the abolition of cruel aspects of widowhood rites in society. Some doctors have speculated that this "widowhood effect" results because surviving spouses stop paying attention to their own health and well-being as their partners' health deteriorates, but it's not clear if that's the reason. Widowhood rites. Though it is being performed in … WIDOWHOOD RITES AND THE RIGHTS OF WOMEN IN AFRICA: THE UGANDAN EXPERIENCE Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the LLM degree in Human Rights and Democratisation in Africa By Leda Hasila Limann Prepared under the supervision of Dr Henry Onoria Faculty of Law Makerere University Kampala, Uganda October 2003 . The state of a man whose wife is dead or of a woman whose husband is dead. Asked by Wiki User. See Answer . The state of a man whose wife is dead or of a woman whose husband is dead. The process involve in performing it in the Christian way is very simple and short compared to the old system of the rite. Krobo Mountain was initially occupied because it provided a favourable place for settlement for defense against invading enemies, for a burial ground, and it served as a symbol of unity. Widowhood rites are not only practiced in Ghana but everywhere in Africa. Of course, this brief description is not exhaustive. Widowhood rites, he further maintains “are not rites of wickedness or callousness, they are rites meant to free the widow from the tyranny and jealousy of the dead partner”. My choice basically was influenced by two factors. If your spouse has just passed away, and you find yourself … The following are therefore the objectives for the study: To find out the significance of this rite, To examine the process for performing this rite, To find out whether there are any changes in the performance of this rite, To examine people’s perceptions about this rite and whether it is a practice that need to be abolish or preserved. the practice of widowhood rites in the Ga traditional area of Ghana and find out the reasons that underlie the practice. The later Deuteronomic Code takes up this principle, commanding that the fatherless (and resident aliens) should not be deprived of justice, and forbidding people from taking a widow's cloak as a pledge; in Judaism this commandwas re… 0 0 1 0 0 0 0. Widowhood experiences can, therefore, be pleasant or painful. Many translated example sentences containing "widowhood rites" – French-English dictionary and search engine for French translations. There was a statistically significant … The phenomenon of barbaric widowhood rites practices within traditional communities has severely retarded gender equality development perspectives between men and women within such societies. What is widowhood rite? Ayiagu – widowhood rite that marks the end of mourning period (Ga) Ayilɔ – spiced white clay used for embalming the corpse (Ga) Azizanya – arrival place for the dead souls (geographically the mouth of river Volta) (Ga) Bragoro – menstrual ceremony (puberty rites for girls among the Akan) Caboceer – African middleman (Portuguese) Follow Me. Comment. Additionally, respond- Dehumanizing practice gradually changing in the Upper East Region In Edo North, the widowhood rites are similar but also the women become inherited by the deceased's brother. Widowhood Practices in Some Nigerian Societies: A Retrospective Examination Dr. Akinbi, Joseph Olukayode Visiting Senior Lecturer, ... Nigerian widow, in the course of fulfilling funeral rites, is subjected to a greater agony than the grief of the loss of her husband. Asked by Wiki User. Social support can help to counter the widowhood effect. Widowhood practices are observed by almost all the ethnic groups in Nigeria, particularly among the Yoruba, Igbo and Hausas. What is widowhood rite? Widowhood rites. 439 0 obj <>stream Widowhood experiences can, therefore, be pleasant or painful. Widowhood definition, the state or a period of being a widow or, sometimes, a widower. This was a problem that I faced in the course of my research because I do not understand and speak Krobo. ��Vf����`�{ �x9�.� ��< ��.��� �w7��\�x,� $�1�20120�����8 ���7 Zy Send Love. Widowhood Rites and Women’s Fundamental Human Rights in Ekiti State, Nigeria *Corresponding Author: Dr. A.O. Comment. And this is especially true for women, who are not always encouraged to develop financial and emotional independence when their spouses are alive. Education is very important in determining people success (Omonijo, Uche, Rotimi and … If the widow's husband had died after the start of the actual marriage (Hebrew: nissuin), rather than merely dying after the betrothal (Hebrew: erusin), she became a legally independent individual; the Talmud states that a woman became independent from her father upon her marriage (nissuin), and she … After the three days fasting, the widow and her family decide when to present the mourning cloth to the church to be blessed. Kindly Share This Story: By Morenike Taire. The term widowhood is … I therefore suggest that the traditional rulers and the people should come together to make some change and remove some practices that are inhuman in the rite. See Answer . In the Christians manner, the widowhood rite is performed few days after the burial ceremony the widow’s husband. In addition, some widowhood rites include shaving the head of the widow and having her wear a rope tied around her neck (ibid.). Deuteronomy 24:1-4 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful “When a man takes a wife and marries her, if then she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found some indecency in her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her out of his house, and she departs out of his house, and if she goes and becomes … On June 30, 2016 12:30 am In News, Woman's Own by vanguard. The issue of widowhood rites, which has been described as one of the most dehumanising, uncivilised and negative cultural practices in the world, due to its associated violation of the rights of women, is still rife in some parts of the three Northern regions of Ghana. Wakefield sifts his ideas, however, as minutely as he may, and finds himself curious to know the progress of matters at home--how his exemplary wife will endure her widowhood of a week; and, briefly, how the little sphere of creatures and circumstances, in which he was a central object, will be affected by his removal. About 16.2% of respondents had ever practiced one or more forms of widowhood rites. This rite surprisingly still exists in many remote communities in Ghana. This process is more prevalent than the old approach. Widowhood rite is performed on the assumption that the death man does not end the marital relationship with his wife and so this rite is performed to end the relationship. Most of these rites are meant to cleanse the widow of perceived defilement related to the death of her husband and to neutralise and/or counter the effects of ritual danger embedded in widowhood. Wiki User Answered 2013-02-01 23:16:08. wow. From a traditional African perspective, the death of a woman’s husband starts a new phase of imposed lifelong suffering for the widow through a series of barbaric widowhood rites practices that degrade both the health and subsistence means of the surviving spouse or widow. Service: A talk is given to comfort the bereaved by explaining what the Bible says about death and the hope of a resurrection. Compelling … First, three days fasting is declared for the widow and during this three days fasting period at each day (both in the morning and evening), a pastor and some elderly women from the church go to the widow’s house to fellowship and pray with her and the family. It was mainly used to enable me get firsthand information from the widows who have had an experience in the widowhood rite. And even for the focus group discussion, the number of women I expected for the discussion was eight but getting to the field four of them could not turn up for the discussion. endstream endobj startxref Posted October 5, 2010 from Nigeria. Today in Nigeria, widows are still being humiliated. During this period, the elderly sister of her late husband and two other elderly women in the community were appointed to cater for her. In totality, one can say that, surely this practice really served the purpose it was meant to serve in time past, however with the presence of modernity and the practice of democracy, this practice seem to go way beyond the abuse of the fundamental human rights of innocent people especially women. At the end of the one week, the piece of kente on her waist and neck were removed and the cloth she used in covering herself was given to her to keep for the future to be used to wrap her body when she die. To achieve these aims, I relied largely from the materials on Isiokpo-Ikwerre widowhood rites. In addition, some widowhood rites include shaving the head of the widow and having her wear a rope tied around her neck (ibid.). The widowhood effect is the increase in the probability of a person dying a relatively short time after their long-time spouse has died. This practice or tradition must be remodel to suit these times, for not all traditions or culture and beliefs are that bad. by Mary Ankrah . After this, she is forced to undergo the … Most of these customs and practices portray the cultural heritage and contribute to the dignity of these people. Cultural practices are some of the vital things countries, population and tribes use to identify themselves. When they do, it is blessed and declared holy to be worn. Here, when a woman loses her husband, she is made to undergo the cruel rite of sleeping next to her husband’s dead body for a night. the fact or state of being a widow; the period during which a woman remains a widow; widowerhood… See the full definition Among the Krobo people, this rite is known as “yayi fimi”. However, if you are among those that have been searching for answers to [widowhood effect statistics, psychological effects of widowhood, widowhood effect a spouse dies, widowhood statistics, effects of being widowed, widowhood effect definition, life expectancy after death of spouse, stages widowhood, Marriage And The Widowhood Effect | Life Expectancy After Death Of Spouse… Widowhood in Judaism is treated as a distinct state of being, for a woman. However, in all cases, it is the widow who bears the brunt and brutalities associated with the practices. Widowhood practices/ rituals are prevalent in Nigeria, the nature of these practices vary from one culture to the other,with the factor of religion playing a significant role.Generally however, widows are made to go through a series of cultural taboos that are both humiliating … The data collection method for this research was based on: This method of research was used to interview some widows in the community. THE rite of mourning the demise of a … Posted October 5, 2010 from Nigeria. 1.1 Background to the study In many parts of Africa widowhood rites are widely believed to be practices that any bereaved spouse has to go through upon becoming a widow or widower. This rite surprisingly still exists in many remote communities in Ghana. Picture Window theme. Widowhood practices in developing Country Nigeria have been detrimental to women’s general well-being and as such considered a serious social problem.Several Nigerian women are subjected to various harmful traditional practices in the name of widowhood rites. %%EOF 2 Samuel 20:3 | View whole chapter | See verse in context And David came to his house at Jerusalem; and the king took the ten women his concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in ward, and fed … Widowhood rites are not only practiced in Ghana but everywhere in Africa. 0 0. Matsobane Manala, African traditional widowhood rites and their benefits and/or detrimental effects on widows in a context of African Christianity, HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies, 10.4102/hts.v71i3.2913, 71, 3, (2015). Originally designed as a formal marriage training for mature women in their twenties, [10] Dipo has evolved into a pre-marital sexual purification [11] rite that involves teenage girls conducting traditional religious rituals and putting on dance performances for the public. Soap was not allowed to be used. h��WmO�H�+�T�}��}��(%W�P�a��I�`5�#�=ʿ��];�)!��t�V�63;/�̮ #�G��#\j�9�� R�\I�":��H�9��D��L)����@� The method used in collecting the research data was based on primary data which was collected through interviews. After the burial, the widow was made to go through a one week ritual performance. There, she is encouraged with the word of God and water is blessed for her to use for bathing. The issue of widowhood rites, which has been described as one of the most dehumanizing, uncivilized and negative cultural practices in the world, due to its associated violation of the rights of women, is still rife in Africa Thus, the man will die and her wife will become a widow as well. The Widows and Orphans Ministry (WOM), a non-governmental organisation (NGO) founded in 1993 and based in Bolgatanga, whose mission is to fight for the interest of widows and orphans conducted research on inheritance in the Upper East Region and found that widowhood rites are considered dehumanising by many widows. Theme images by, WIDOWHOOD RITE AMONG THE KROBO-ODUMASI PEOPLE. Some of these rites include cruel and degrading treatment. This study examined the socio-demographic characteristics of widows in Awori two urban and two rural communities of Awori land in Ogun State, Nigeria and the observance of widowhood rites. Oluwatusin 3 | Page On the fortieth day, the widow does not sleep, she sings along with other people who are women including her age-grade members throughout the night. First, widowed status is often combined with divorced and separated status, making it difficult to determine the independent effects of widowhood. To glom a playful plagiary’s glib gloss from the guileless glebe of a newly fledged Wörterbuch (Nouveau Lexique de l’Angliche, Bruges, Maison Belge des Idiomes de la Cordillère Tétrastique, n.d.) had been, and still remains, the very sigil of my intent, but, alas, at that spot where glom, omnivorous mogul of slow moans in old loggias, should logically have been aglow and a … After each bath she was given a white stone clay, “meere” to smear on all the parts of her body. First and foremost, the widowhood rite undermines the fundamental human rights of women because in most cases many women are forced by families and perpetuators to do it  and so the government should enact policies or laws that will protect the rights of widows. Women should also not be forced to do it. The issue of widowhood rites, which has been described as one of the most dehumanising, uncivilised and negative cultural practices in the world, due to its associated violation of the rights of women, is still rife in some parts of the three Northern regions of Ghana. Widowhood Rites The Ga believe that in everything there is a Spiritual and a Physical element. The food was prepared and served by the elderly women appointed to cater for her. Selection of an appropriate sample size is vital for the success of this research but it was very difficult to get respondents to interview for my findings especially, for those who have gone through the old system of widowhood rite to share their experiences and views. Wicked widowhood practices have continued despite laws and customs put in place to mitigate such. The discussion was done in a group and all the women contributed to the discussion. Widowhood rite is a custom that is performed on a woman upon the death of her husband. �J#��-N���\���j�;Z� First, Isiokpo-Ikwerre widowhood rites exemplify very clearly the type This was a possible challenge on my research. But if the issue she wants to talk about is very important, a stem grass was put in her mouth before she could talk. As a result, widows must deal with normal grief and loneliness—and they may also have … This method of research also gave me more insight into the topic of discussion. She was kept indoors in the room that her late husband was laid during the funeral. �$�4 �+ؒ��4)��4���H��e �����8�,��E��\1���\8e�O>~�}G:�t�����AQNmI� ��o&12���!���:[zL���R&$�A� �ie:�y[���,�������c�w+��)p��D��͜�� Akwapim Mountain is occupied only when population pressure makes it necessary to increase food production. Many widows are also forced to marry into their late husband's family (CBC 7 July 2004). WIDOWHOOD. This paper examines widowhood … Among the Krobo people, this rite is known as “yayi fimi”. Madam, Agyeman, Comfort. A widow suffers much from psychological and physical Matsobane Manala, African traditional widowhood rites and their benefits and/or detrimental effects on widows in a context of African Christianity, HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies, 10.4102/hts.v71i3.2913, 71, 3, (2015). (Ecclesiastes 9: 5, 6, 10) These include such customs as wake keeping, lavish funeral celebrations and anniversaries, sacrifices for the dead, talking to and making requests of the dead, and widowhood rites. endstream endobj 392 0 obj <>/Metadata 35 0 R/Outlines 57 0 R/PageLayout/OneColumn/Pages 389 0 R/StructTreeRoot 74 0 R/Type/Catalog>> endobj 393 0 obj <>/Font<>/XObject<>>>/Rotate 0/StructParents 0/Tabs/S/Type/Page>> endobj 394 0 obj <>stream Many widows are also forced to marry into their late husband's family (CBC 7 July 2004). The present study was conducted to find out the effect of widowhood rites on the psychosocial well-being of widows in Nadowli District of the Upper West Region (Ghana). In fact the widow has a special way of tiring the hair different from other woman in the community in order to identify her as widow.