Wife Inheritance
HIV/AIDS is epidemic in Africa and a large percentage of the population in the Kisumu area is HIV positive, nearly 40 percent. Funerals are common and the impact is devastating; many children are left homeless or must be supported by extended family members. The economy is weakened because wage-earners between the ages of 18 to 30 are sick or dying. Kenyans are aware of ow the virus is spread,yet there are unusual ways of infection in this culture, such as the sharing of knife blades by Masai when cutting holes in their earlobes, or the sharing of instruments used for male and female circumcision.
I read somewhere that wife inheritance is also a contributor to the spread of the virus but couldn't fathom how. Until Roselynn share her story with our group during training in Nairobi. Roselynn works with Frank in Ndewa and is from that area. When her husband passed away, her father-in-law was eager to have Roselynn inherited by another male member of the family. But before a male family member can take the new wife, she must be 'cleansed' by a man from outside the family. Roselynn said men who 'cleanse' women must have certain qualifications, such as being single and of a certain age, so there aren't many men who meet the requirements. This means the same man goes from widow to widow, 'cleansing' each one. Often, however, and tragically, these men are HIV positive and spread the disease to the women, who spread it to their new husband, who may spread it to other wives and girlfriends.
Luckily, Roselynn's daughter attended a school where she learned the dangers of wife inheritance. This young girl stood up to her grandfather and argued against her mother being passed to another man. She threatened to leave Roselynn and live with an aunt if Roselynn went along with the men's plan. As uncharacteristic as it is for a young girl to speak out, it is more unusual to find an elder male who listens to a young female. But the grandfather did liten and dropped the whole thing. Roselynn is safe for now. But what about all the other young widows who aren't aware of the dangers of wife inheritance and who don't have the right to say no, or who don't have strong, wise and brave children to stand up for them?
I read somewhere that wife inheritance is also a contributor to the spread of the virus but couldn't fathom how. Until Roselynn share her story with our group during training in Nairobi. Roselynn works with Frank in Ndewa and is from that area. When her husband passed away, her father-in-law was eager to have Roselynn inherited by another male member of the family. But before a male family member can take the new wife, she must be 'cleansed' by a man from outside the family. Roselynn said men who 'cleanse' women must have certain qualifications, such as being single and of a certain age, so there aren't many men who meet the requirements. This means the same man goes from widow to widow, 'cleansing' each one. Often, however, and tragically, these men are HIV positive and spread the disease to the women, who spread it to their new husband, who may spread it to other wives and girlfriends.
Luckily, Roselynn's daughter attended a school where she learned the dangers of wife inheritance. This young girl stood up to her grandfather and argued against her mother being passed to another man. She threatened to leave Roselynn and live with an aunt if Roselynn went along with the men's plan. As uncharacteristic as it is for a young girl to speak out, it is more unusual to find an elder male who listens to a young female. But the grandfather did liten and dropped the whole thing. Roselynn is safe for now. But what about all the other young widows who aren't aware of the dangers of wife inheritance and who don't have the right to say no, or who don't have strong, wise and brave children to stand up for them?
posted by Cindi at 8:47 PM
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