Sexism and misogyny in selected proverbs of the Chaga of Machame

Abstract

This work employs a feminist perspective to examine how some proverbs of the Chaga of Machame portray a sexist ideology that supports patriarchal relations as well as social systems or environments in which women face cultural stereotyping. It discusses the impressions that some proverbs create and how such impressions set rules which govern how women are, should be treated and how they are expected to behave. It has been argued that some life-long gendered attitudes towards women are evident in the selected proverbs and that they take part in the creation of a social system which explains how women are seen, represented and how gender relations are organized, promoted, and shaped. The paper shows that proverbs constitute a powerful rhetorical device for the shaping of moral consciousness, opinions, and beliefs.