I was reading about Kanga writings in a dictionary of Swahili proverbs, and came across this one:Kikapu cha mama kimejaa ndago : My mother's basket is full of straw.
When I first read it, I assumed it meant "poverty" or "lack"-- "My family has nothing of value: no food, no money, no spun gold. Just straw." Actually, it means just the opposite. Straw is an important resource for many Swahili-speakers in Eastern Africa. Women use it to make a whole bunch of things, from floor mats to fans. So, a basket full of straw evokes a sense of plenitude, abundance, security. Your mother's basket is full of straw: what better fortune?
3 comments:
I am a fan of colorful and elaborate prints, so I am in heaven looking at that photo.
Isn't it beautiful? I love textiles. I have some lovely folk pieces from Pakistan - rilli, ajrak. I'll have to post a picture of those...
Just read your book Zenana! Wow. I really admire your courage as an American woman living in Pakistan for a year and getting down to the nitty gritty. I also appreciate your reporting and unpacking so much "stuff" about what life is really like for the women as it is actually lived there. I remain, however, appalled by "men's anger" and "men's violence". It is unjust.
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