Widowhood Rites. Widowhood notes refer to the rituals and customs that are performed for a woman or man upon the death of a husband or wife. In practice, widows(women) usually perform the rites over days and months whilst widowers(men) do not perform the rites at all, or do so over a short period It is believed that the man’s spirit is stronger and therefore the ghost(spirit) of the woman cannot haunt him but to the woman, the ghost(spirit) of the man can haunt her.
Rationale/Purpose Underlying The Performance Of Widowhood Rites
To prevent the ghost spirit) of the dead from haunting the living spouse. Also, to end the relationship between the living spouse and the dead spouse. Again, to make the living spouse realize the difficulties that lie ahead of her as the breadwinner or companion is gone.
Some Negative/Cruel/Wicked/Bad Aspects Or Practices Of The Rites
The woman is confined for a period of 3 to 9 days, not allowed to handle money until 40 days, and not permitted to shake hands with other people for fear of transferring the bad omen to other people, a woman abstains from food until the husband is buried on the day of burial, woman made to sleep by the corpse when they believe she has hand in the death of the man, washing of saliva of a dead person for the woman to drink to prove her innocence of the death of the man, etc.
The Need To Abolish Cruel/Wicked/Bad Widowhood Rites
Widowhood rites are performed on only the females when their husbands die and some of the practices are cruel, wicked, bad, negative, and have physical and psychological effects on the woman concerned and therefore the need to abolish the cruel/wicked aspects in the Ghanaian society.
- Violation of human rights: The woman is subjected to torture. She is made to go through physical and mental torture. She is denied food, and limits put on her freedom of speech, movement, and association, She is controlled and oppressed by her subordinate women. The woman goes through pain, suffering, physical, mental, and psychological torture, which is unbearable and infringes on human rights.
- Health risks: Widowhood rites have some effects on the health of the widow. Where the woman is made to sleep with the dead husband or swallow the saliva of the dead person poses serious health risks to the woman. In a situation where the dead person is infected with a disease like chicken pox, Tuberculosis(TB), Cerebro Spinal Meningitis(CSM), or Ebola, the woman is likely to be affected. Abstaining from food for several days may also cause stomach ulcers.
- Psychological effects and death: The woman is psychologically affected. Sleeping with the dead person, abstaining from food, tying her hands, and pulling all put fear, shock, emotional stress, and mental torture on the woman and can lead to madness or death.
- Dehumanizing and humiliating: The activities that are involved in widowhood rites dehumanize and humiliate the widow. Shaving of hair, sleeping by the corpse, preventing ~ from shaking hands with people, and confinement dehumanizes and humiliates the woman.
- Discriminatory practice against women: The practice of widowhood rite is unfair treatment to women. The practice discriminates against women in the sense that, when a woman (wife) dies the man is not made to undergo the same treatment. The rite is confined to only the woman, which is not fair to women.
- Female labor was reduced: Women were not allowed to work during the rites. Even after the rites, it takes several months for a woman to start any business. This reduces the human resources or labor of the woman, and at times leads to job loss, leading her into economic hardships.
Not Working On Certain Lands On Some Weekdays
This is the system of practice where people are forbidden to work on farmlands and go to sea on certain days. The forbidden days vary from society to society. On Akyem land in the Eastern Region, it is on Thursdays, at Aburi Akuapem, it is on Fridays, and going out to sea for fishing is forbidden on Tuesdays, especially along the coastal towns of Ghana.
- Agricultural productivity is affected: The number of days that are prohibited to work in a year is 52 days which is almost two months. This affects productivity on farms. Output of work is reduced and retards progress and development. Much income is lost to the individuals and the nation.
- Human resource is reduced: There is a loss of valuable human resources, both skilled and unskilled. Human labor is reduced as a result of staying away from work for several days. This affects development.
- Negative behaviors exhibited on such days: Some people take advantage of these days to go and steal farm produce like yam, cassava, plantain, etc. thereby causing a loss of income to the farm owners.
Trokosi’ Vestal Virgimnm/Slaves Of The Gods) System
“Trokosi” system refers to a practice where a girl, particularly a virgin is sent to a shrine to atone for sins or offenses committed by a relative for several years. This system is practiced in some Ewe communities specifically around Akatsi, Feta, Adidome, FlLlikor, and Sogakope. The girls are made to go through some rituals and observing, several taboos. Some of the Birls finally end up becoming the wives of the priest of the shrine.
The Need To Abolish ‘Trokosi’ System
- No Formal education and acquisition of Skitts for the girts: The girls that are sent to the shrines, are not given, formal education. They are also not allowed to learn any vocation to acquire any skill to engage in any trade. Until recently some NGOs have intervened and some girls are given formal education and vocational skills the girls, do not have an education. This makes them unemployed leading to poverty.
- Social embarrassment to women: There is an embarrassment for the young girls and the – women adults in the shrine. They are made to walk bare-footed at the shrine and other public places such as the markets to buy items and the riverside to fetch water.
- Unfair treatment to the girls: The girls sent to the shrine are treated unfairly. The girls are not the direct people who committed the offenses but are made to suffer for various offenses. and crimes committed by other relatives. This is unfair and inhumane treatment and infringes on the rights of the girls and fundamental human rights.
- Lower status of women in society: The practice lowers the status of women. This is evidenced that the girls or women at the shrine are denied formal education and, the acquisition of skills to acquire a trade and to get income to contribute their quota to the development of their communities and the nation. They are only treated as servants and have no say in any decisions taken and are controlled and guided by the norms and customs of the shrine.
Female Genital Mutilation/Excision/Cutting(Clitoridectomy) (FGM)
Female Genital Mutilation/Excision/Cutting(Clitoridectomy) (FGM) is a puberty rite normally performed on girls before they reach the adolescent age. It involves the cutting, altering, injuring, or removal of the clitoris of the girl for non-medical reasons. This rite is practiced among some ethnic groups in Northern Ghana. Such ethnic groups are Dagarti, Kasena, Frafra, Mossi, and Builsa.
Purpose Of Female Genital Mutilation/Excision/Cutting
- It is aimed at making girls less sexually active before marriage thereby helping to maintain their virginity till they marry.
- It is aimed at reducing high sexual desires on the part of women to remain faithful and prevent having sex outside marriage to promote a stable marriage.
- The practice is also aimed at promoting good moral behavior in society. It is aimed at reducing indiscriminate sexual behavior to have a society of good moral standards.
- It is a pre-condition for marriage and makes females clean and those who are e not mutilated are considered not fit for marriage.
The Need To Abolish Female Genital Mutilation/Excision(FGM)
The practice is barbaric and murderous and the following are the reasons for its abolishment in society.
- Death of some girls: One of the dangers associated with female excision is death. The Operation is painful and can cause fatal, excessive, or severe bleeding. Excessive bleeding can cause the death of some girls.
- Complication in child delivery: The operation affects the smooth delivery of the mother. After the operation, there is a scar left after the wound has healed. During delivery, the woman finds it difficult to have a smooth delivery as a result of a small opening of the genitalia and at times there is heavy bleeding. This difficulty sometimes may lead to the death of the woman.
- Health hazards for the girls: Female genital mutilation poses health hazards to the girl When the tools used are not sterilized or the operation is done under unhygienic conditions, could lead to urinary tract infections. The girl could be infected with diseases such as tetany, and AIDS, which can lead to death. The infection can also affect the reproductive organs of the girl and prevent her from giving birth to children. This will affect her future life
- Loss of sexual sensitivity of the women victims: The girls or women are deprived of sexual enjoyment, pleasure, and satisfaction. This is because the most sensitive part of the female genital organs(clitoris) that causes arousal in females during sexual intercourse is cut off. This may lead to problems in marriage.
- Psychological effects on the women victims: The wider society frowns on the practice and the victims of female genital mutilation undergo some psychological stress, fear, and mental -torture. They experience a kind of depression, guilt, humiliation, and shame when they come in contact with other societies or tribes who discuss the topic or marry from outside their tribe
- Violation of a child’s rights to health, security, and physical integrity: The practice of female excision violates the girl’s right to be free from torture, cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment, and her right to life when the procedure results in death. She undergoes the ordeal unwillingly and the operation is done in public, which infringes on the child’s right to human dignity. The practice has also been condemned by the Convention on the Rights of the Child
- No biological or medical justification: The practice has no biological and medical proof of importance or benefits to the girls or women. Despite the cultural justification and its acceptance and practice by some ethnic groups, it cannot be justified on any medical or biological grounds.
- Criminal act punishable by law: The practice is barbaric due to the agonizing situation the girls go through. The Ghana Criminal Code(Amendment, 1994) makes female genital mutilation is a criminal offence punishable by law. It has also been criticized and condemned worldwide as barbaric and dehumanizing