Female religious responses to male prosperity in turn-of-the-century Bush Negro societies

Abstract

At the end of the nineteenth century, a drastic change occurred in gender relations in Suriname's Bus Negro societie . Men massively l ft the tribal are s for more lucrative pursuits in th expanding national economy, and often failed to perform thei share in the traditional subsisten e economy. Women were left to fend for th mselv s, in part-control of y sterda 's means of produc ion. In matrilineal and predomi antly uxoriloc l societies, Bush Negro women had been used to think highly of themselves as producers and rep ducers. An , what is more, to a large extent, they had seen their claims acknowledged. Around the turn of the century, women had to come to terms with these new and disadvantageous conditions. I this c ntribu ion, we will explor the types of re c ions which evolved in is perplexing situation.