Navigating and defying patriarchy: a moment of empowerment for women?

Abstract

This article gives a brief ethnographic description of the social life of Sidama women of Ethiopia in a society where patriarchy is the major suppressing arsenal against women. It highlights how the Sidama women negotiate their social identity in demanding social respect and recognition. Ironically the very patriarchal system that suppressed women gives room for their promotion through their husband. After promotion of women through their husband, women use this position to organize themselves to pray for fertility and rain. Moreover, the new position would be an important arsenal to protest and punish a husband who abuses them. Here, the study reveals how women consider certain types of abuses by man as a collective abuse against all women and punish the culprit in mass by going out and declaring all round assault. Finally, the article illustrates how the social class seniority for a woman is kept through a status of her husband regardless of her wealth and age.