Michael Wafula Wanyonyi, Felix Orina & Joseph Musungu
Abstract
This paper interrogates the relationship between gender disparities in Somalia and the obtaining dysfunction in post-colonial Somalia as depicted in Farah’s From a Crooked Rib (1970) and Knots (2007).The main argument in this paper is that the bias the Somali culture has against women reflects the colonial oppressive and exploitative ideologies. Therefore the quest for political freedom becomes a one-sided affair with women as subordinate in the anticolonial movement. The violence and biases on women are then passed over onto postcolonial Somalia’s leadership. In the long run, the variations envelopes the psych of a people and becomes the norm of violence on women and later the nation. The dysfunction in the present paper is illuminated as a myriad of Postcolonial misgivings including the civil war as depicted in Knots (2007). The present paper therefore looks at the intersection between gender and post colonialism at the violence that continues to be perpetuated on women as well as postcolonial Somalia. At the same time the paper offers a ray of hope out of the dysfunction by proposing integrations of feminine instincts and leadership in the reconstruction agenda of Somalia. From a Crooked Rib (1970) is set in Somalia’s political independence and moments after independence with gender-based inequalities and relations present up to the independence point. On the other hand Knots (2007) depicts postcolonial dysfunctions including the ensuing civil war and its effects on the gender relations as well as the nation. Additionally Knots (2007) captures a ray of hope out of the sorry state of postcolonial Somalia by drawing up the advantages abound in an inclusive national agenda with better treatment of women. Therefore, the main objective of this paper is to analyse the link between gender-based biases in Somalia’s patriarchal culture and the obtaining postcolonial dysfunction, including the civil war as depicted in Knots (2007). Further, the purpose of the present paper is to bring out the advantages abound in gender inclusivity in Somalia’s reconstruction vision as well as future peace and prosperity.
Keywords: Gender, postcoloniality, dysfunction, patriarchy, violence, reconstruction, peace and prosperity.
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