Taku C A T H E R I N E Arrey-Ngang | University Of Buea,Cameroon (original) (raw)

Papers by Taku C A T H E R I N E Arrey-Ngang

Taku Catherine, 2019

The burden of being a woman in Africa is a heavy weight to bear. The male claims authority over t... more The burden of being a woman in Africa is a heavy weight to bear. The male claims authority over the female, and since the woman is economically dependent on the man, she succumbs to all the anguish meted on her. Tsitsi Dangarembga in Nervous Conditions and G.D Nyamndi in Facing Meamba have both shown the African woman as one whom patriarchal impediments have reduced to a voiceless nonentity. Guided by Deconstruction theory, the Marxist and African feminist approaches to literary criticism, this article argues, supported by the selected texts, that the social and cultural pressures which silence women in African societies are often the product of patriarchal power. Today, the emphasis by women is on creating a society free of economic exploitation and all forms of oppression; a society where there is equality and justice for all; where women have a voice and can transcend socially imposed limitations on them. While it is generally agreed that African women live in the shadow of men, this article contends that through the revolutionary actions of some female characters, women employ violence as one of the strategies to deconstruct themselves as a cultural ideology. Dangarembga and Nyamndi are voicing the voiceless women in Africa by creating a new woman whose voice is ground-breaking and daunting.

The African forest has always been rich in flora and fauna from time immemorial. Today, however, ... more The African forest has always been rich in flora and fauna from time immemorial. Today, however, environmental degradation is on the rise and the African forest is systematically disappearing. It is the contention of this paper that some Cameroonian writers use their art not only to draw attention to the devastating effects of such obliteration, they equally reveal how women use various approaches to ensure sustainability. The aim, of course, is to uphold the ecosystem and indemnify its people. This paper thus critically examines the centrality of the relationship between humans and the ecology, and how ecological consciousness is divulged in postcolonial African novels. Using Cameroon Literature as the main focus, the work looks at women's role in the reinforcement of conservation and women's unique techniques in the promotion of healthier sustenance strategies. The importance of planting trees, sustaining the forest, beautifying the environment and purging the body with the beauty of nature becomes the women's main preoccupation. It is such a picture of the inseparable nature of women, ecology, sustainability and immanence that this article addresses, interpreted through the reading of Venus of Khala-Kanti, a novel which expounds on female oppression and exploitation, ecological sustainability, women's emancipation, love and the presence of extra-terrestrial deities in the human world. The emphasis therefore is on how the author, Angele Kingue, depict show female characters cope with the changing interconnectedness between human society and the natural environment. The work discusses ecofeminism and the role that the postcolonial woman plays in ecological sustenance.

Taku Catherine, 2020

Patriarchy is a social structure in which men are the primary holders of power, and are preponder... more Patriarchy is a social structure in which men are the primary holders of power, and are preponderate in roles of local authority, political leadership, economic power and control of property. Several African literary productions focus on the suffering of women in such patriarchal setup with men being very domineering and women oppressed; the man is always at the helm with the woman being the silent observer. In most cases, property and family name are passed down within the male line of inheritance. Basically, men are in charge. This article however exposes the changing awareness of today"s African woman from one who is governed to being more in control of her surroundings. Using two African plays: Ola Rotimi"s Our Husband Has Gone Mad Again and Anne Tanyi Tang"s Eneta vs Elimo, we argue that women have evolved from being disenfranchised dependents and voiceless recipients to assertive and productive contributors in their families and society. Deconstruction and Nego-feminism are applied here to reveal how women negotiate their way through patriarchy as a means of achieving their goals of empowerment and determination to effect socio-political change.

Taku Catherine, 2019

The burden of being a woman in Africa is a heavy weight to bear. The male claims authority over t... more The burden of being a woman in Africa is a heavy weight to bear. The male claims authority over the female, and since the woman is economically dependent on the man, she succumbs to all the anguish meted on her. Tsitsi Dangarembga in Nervous Conditions and G.D Nyamndi in Facing Meamba have both shown the African woman as one whom patriarchal impediments have reduced to a voiceless nonentity. Guided by Deconstruction theory, the Marxist and African feminist approaches to literary criticism, this article argues, supported by the selected texts, that the social and cultural pressures which silence women in African societies are often the product of patriarchal power. Today, the emphasis by women is on creating a society free of economic exploitation and all forms of oppression; a society where there is equality and justice for all; where women have a voice and can transcend socially imposed limitations on them. While it is generally agreed that African women live in the shadow of men, this article contends that through the revolutionary actions of some female characters, women employ violence as one of the strategies to deconstruct themselves as a cultural ideology. Dangarembga and Nyamndi are voicing the voiceless women in Africa by creating a new woman whose voice is ground-breaking and daunting.

The African forest has always been rich in flora and fauna from time immemorial. Today, however, ... more The African forest has always been rich in flora and fauna from time immemorial. Today, however, environmental degradation is on the rise and the African forest is systematically disappearing. It is the contention of this paper that some Cameroonian writers use their art not only to draw attention to the devastating effects of such obliteration, they equally reveal how women use various approaches to ensure sustainability. The aim, of course, is to uphold the ecosystem and indemnify its people. This paper thus critically examines the centrality of the relationship between humans and the ecology, and how ecological consciousness is divulged in postcolonial African novels. Using Cameroon Literature as the main focus, the work looks at women's role in the reinforcement of conservation and women's unique techniques in the promotion of healthier sustenance strategies. The importance of planting trees, sustaining the forest, beautifying the environment and purging the body with the beauty of nature becomes the women's main preoccupation. It is such a picture of the inseparable nature of women, ecology, sustainability and immanence that this article addresses, interpreted through the reading of Venus of Khala-Kanti, a novel which expounds on female oppression and exploitation, ecological sustainability, women's emancipation, love and the presence of extra-terrestrial deities in the human world. The emphasis therefore is on how the author, Angele Kingue, depict show female characters cope with the changing interconnectedness between human society and the natural environment. The work discusses ecofeminism and the role that the postcolonial woman plays in ecological sustenance.

Taku Catherine, 2020

Patriarchy is a social structure in which men are the primary holders of power, and are preponder... more Patriarchy is a social structure in which men are the primary holders of power, and are preponderate in roles of local authority, political leadership, economic power and control of property. Several African literary productions focus on the suffering of women in such patriarchal setup with men being very domineering and women oppressed; the man is always at the helm with the woman being the silent observer. In most cases, property and family name are passed down within the male line of inheritance. Basically, men are in charge. This article however exposes the changing awareness of today"s African woman from one who is governed to being more in control of her surroundings. Using two African plays: Ola Rotimi"s Our Husband Has Gone Mad Again and Anne Tanyi Tang"s Eneta vs Elimo, we argue that women have evolved from being disenfranchised dependents and voiceless recipients to assertive and productive contributors in their families and society. Deconstruction and Nego-feminism are applied here to reveal how women negotiate their way through patriarchy as a means of achieving their goals of empowerment and determination to effect socio-political change.