Praise Song for the Good Woman
Islam and Gender in a Famous Senegalese Poem
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 14770728 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Marame Gueye (0009-0001-7523-3330, East Carolina University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2010 |
| Volume | 80-1/2 |
| Pages | 51-61 |
| Publication date | 2010-01-01 |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal des africanistes (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0399-0346 • E-ISSN: 1957-7850 |
| Publisher | OpenEdition (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.4000/africanistes.2294 |
| OpenAlex | W1524227238 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 1 |
The poem “Fatou Gaye” has been circulating in Senegal for three decades. Despite its fame, not much attention has been paid to its message and the implications it has in the politics of gender in Senegal. Composed by Eladji Gaye as a eulogy to his wife Fatou Gaye, the poem is both panegyric and sexist. While singing the praises of his wife, Gaye at the same time advocates the subordination of women based on his understanding of Islam. It this paper I look at how Gaye's line of thinking is a misreading of the Koran and shows how men have utilized the holy text in order to justify their sexism. However, the text contradicts Gaye's claim of male superiority by portraying Fatou as the backbone of the family and consequently the one with agency
Agency (philosophy · Art · Islam · Literature · Order (exchange · Poetry · Praise · Singing · Social science · Sociology · Theology · Wife · African history and culture studies · African Sexualities and LGBTQ+ Issues · Philosophy · Religion and Sociopolitical Dynamics in Nigeria
| Highly cited | No |
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