adminTatenda Makombe
Culture is the way of life, especially the general customs and beliefs of a particular group of people or society. In essence it is that invisible bond which ties people together and gives them an identity. It can also be viewed as that ultimate system of social control which guides standards and behavior of every person who subscribes to a particular culture.
Culture is something that people should be proud of. Ironically the world over it is sad to note that there are some harmful cultural practices that disadvantage vulnerable groups of people in the society, especially children.
Cultural practices that are harmful to children are not only peculiar to Africa but are a perennial problem in many parts of the world. For example in certain cultures within India and the Middle East girls aged between 11 and 13 years are forced to marry and produce children. In places such as Chechnya and Kyrgystan, bride kidnapping of minors is common and in some places breast ironing is practiced. Breast ironing is a practice often performed by mothers in countries such as Chad, Guinea Bissau and Benin, in which the breasts of pubescent girls are pounded using tools such as spatulas, grinding hot stones as a means of delaying their development and unwanted male attention.
In Zimbabwe, we also have our fair share of some harmful cultural practices such chiramu, kuroodza (debt-bondage) and kugara nhaka (wife inheritance). These practices relegate children to a gloomy future. Chiramu allows uncles and brothers-in-law to fondle with young girls in the family and some lustful in-laws even go to the extremes of engaging in sexual activity with these innocent young children.
Chiramu can have potentially obstructive social effects and limit opportunities for girls. These effects may result in ill-health from genitourinary infections, loss of educational opportunities through unwanted pregnancies and the social stigma that accompanies pregnancy out of wedlock.
The writer had a heart to heart conversation with a woman who lives in Chikanga and who has been a victim of Chiramu. In that conversation she described how when she was only fifteen years of age, she moved in with her elder sister and brother in law.
In no time this woman was raped and impregnated by her sister’s husband under the guise of playing chiramu.
She further explained how when she confided into her sister and other close relatives what had happened, she was accused of being loose and of having invited the rape on herself through solicitous behaviour. This woman explained how she was sent packing from her sister’s home. It is saddening to observe that the very tradition that allows the men to play the chiramu sexual games is the same that condemns the victim girl child of being “too cozy” with one’s sister or aunt’s husband.
Kuroodza is yet another harmful cultural practice that children need protection from. Kuroodza is a custom whereby a family in need typically receives help from another family, on the condition that the family receiving assistance commits to giving a girl child to the donor family. According to sociologist, Amor, young girls fetch high bride prices due to the cultural value placed on virginity.
Measures should be put in place to restrict this practice especially nowadays when bread winners in most families are finding it difficult to put food on the table and the temptation is high to follow such harmful practices for economic expediency.
Kuroodza contributes to child marriages which endanger the personal development and well being of the child who given in to marriage at an early age. Children that are married young are often disempowered, robbed of their childhood, dependent on their husbands and deprived of their fundamental rights to health, education and safety.
According to a 2014 report by the World Health Organization, child brides are at great risk of experiencing dangerous complications in pregnancy and child birth and of being affected by HIV/AIDS.
Another harmful cultural practice that needs being discouraged is Kugara nhaka which is the practice of wife inheritance. This practice affects children when the girl could either be a sister or niece of the deceased wife. This practice usually suffices when the widower son-in-law is of a good economic standing so that the deceased wife’s biological family continues to benefit from the wealth of their son in law.
Sometime earlier this year the writer overheard a conversation of some middle aged women who were coming from a memorial service. The women were deliberating on how shameless the in-laws were pleading with their son-in-law to choose any girl of his choice, regardless of age to take the place of their deceased daughter, in the name of the “kugara nhaka” tradition. In such a situation the biggest loser will always be the girl who would have been parceled out by her relatives.
It is imperative to note that children need protection from harmful cultural practices.
Parents, guardians, government departments, NGOs, religious and traditional leaders and all concerned stakeholders should all come together and play their part in eliminating harmful cultural practices that affect children. The stakeholders should be guided by the United Nations Convention on the Right of Children (UNCRC) and the 1999 African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child which provide frameworks for understanding the rights of children.
Culture is not static but is constantly changing. It is possible for people to give up harmful practices and upholding those aspects of culture that promote our African humanism (ubuntu, vumunhu or unhu).
If our culture persists in upholding harmful cultural practices it stands to render it irrelevant. Mahatma Gandhi once said,No culture can live if it attempts to be exclusive. It is very important that children are protected from harmful cultural practices in order for them to realize their full potential.
Online Reporter