Female goddesses, male priests: an anthropological study in role complimentarity and women empowerment among the Igbo

Abstract

One consequence of western education is the injection into the African psyche the feeling of inferiority complex bordering on dependency culture. In the traditional past this was the dependency of women on male dominated psychology, making men the originators of ideas and creators of gods; while women kept the home as their domestic “slaves” as sometimes claimed by feminists. Drawing on oral traditions, this paper takes a look at some of these prevailing assumptions, and examining them in the light of oral traditions. On the contrary, it seems men served their society by idealizing women in terms of dominant female symbols as providers, procreators and protectors of society. In literal terms, men served women, while women held the position of power. It postulates that it is indeed better for women to rediscover their potentials, and harness them in terms of progressive values of modern times, by creating their own female-centred gods as an ideological standpoint, instead of worshipping male centred gods of the Oriental world.


Key Words: Education, culture, tradition, gods, world.


Global Jnl of Humanities Vol.2(1&2) 2003: 16-20