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4/1/1986 - The Women’s Decade: A Bumri Postscript by Paula Williams

NOT FOR PUBLICATION WITHOUT WRITER S CONSENT INSTITUTE OF CURRENTWORLD AFFAIRS PJW Bururi Burundi The Women Decade A Bururi Postscript April Mr Peter Bird Martin Executive Director Institute Current World Affairs West Wheelock StreeZ Hanover NH 03755 USA Dear Peter Ultimately wonder world conferences conferences UN Decade Women PJW affect average woman developing country It perhaps early But repercussions conferences stretch On Saturday August celebration Bururi UN Decade Women This celebration subsequent observations Bururi provided indications women lives Bururi where I currently small important southern Burundi Map Bururi located elevation meters southern Zaire Nile Crest divide separates drainages Nile River which flows kilometers miles north Mediterranean Zaire formerly Congo River which flows kilometers miles Atlantic Ocean Bururi located about miles southeast capital Bujumbura To Bururi Bujumbura involves driving south along shores Lake Tanganyika paved taking steep curvy rocky mountains another In Bururi temperatures average yearly rainfall about The season occurs June through September heaviest rains December April Bururi provincial capital equipped military hospital pharmacy primary secondary schools Catholic mission office generator supplies electricity PM nights Twice there small market selling dried fresh plastic sandals enamel bowls batteries produce bananas carrots potatoes onions cabbage avocados Recently bakery second station opened business A national medical schodl nurses medical technicians being built Chinese contractors The Chinese building hydroelectric nearby which eventually furnish Bururi electricity The population Bururi around people residents educated middle class government employees working provincial offices hospital schools Paula Williams Forest Society Fellow Institute Current forest resources Saharan Africa World Affairs studying human Map adapted Cazenave Piarrot Geographie Burundi etles hommes Paris Map adapted Michelin Africa Central an__d South Map Paris Pneu M ichelin Map Location Bururi Burundi East Central Africa As I learned Women Decade event before start I quickly grabbed camera stuffed walked stadium When arrived scheduled starting people sight Soon people began assemble soldiers young dance group practicing routine I watched interest group members dressed woman acted various activities women engage hoeing field carrying firewood lighting cooking going school being medical doctor As group through practice routine I decided photograph scene where carries firewood My camera attracted attention What surprised however subsequent practices group pantomime actor added scene depicting woman coming camera taking picture people pointing camera directly direction With I decided perhaps would prudent camera sight Gradually people began arrive I rather dismayed however attendees filling viewing stand Where women Then women arrived greet One neighbor I Ernestine quickly under She explained women parade Eventually about hundred people arrived marched parade The crowd women Many local civil servants chairs covered viewing stand watch proceedings while ordinary bleachers other stadium stood around edges field The ceremony consisted variety singing dance performances A couple groups several groups composed women danced women The performances quite varied providing introduction Burundi culture The group pantomime scenes scene photographer which audience found amusing Perhaps I wondered expanding women roles include photographer In addition woman regional secretary national political party UPRONA Union Progres National Union National Progress Speech provincial governor Bururi short speech The ceremony until PM Although I understand ceremony conducted entirely Kirundi I observe respect being women Bururi Province I hoped indeed Decade Women marking ending rather signified efforts would continue towards improving women lives Afterwards attendees Social Center reception The reception sponsored local women organization chapter Union Femmes Burundaises Union Burundian Women which branch UPRONA At reception about forty On courtyard about sixty women along other sides The woman regional UPRONA party secretary given speech Other women forth serving stewed fried bananas More speeches delivered Kirundi mercifully brief The reception attendees middle class dressed their attire Most women traditional skirts matching lengths fabric draped shoulder usually fancy shimmery flimsy fabric A Western style length dresses The generally wearing shirts slacks although governor other dignitaries dressed suits None ordinary I ceremony peasant armers attired bright outfits solid patterned printed cotton headscarves shirts pants reception People began leave reception around PM As another neighbor I Colette I walked I asked about activities Bururi women group undertakes Last started sports activities women became pregnant stopped coming activity fallen wayside Some women currently interested learning Western dishes activity begun contributions ingredients I learned Union Femmes Burundaises women organization Traditionally Burundian society focused family living scattered rugos homesteads mountains Villages towns relatively recent developments dating primarily while arrival missionaries colon administra Although Burundian society ruled monarchy until centralized societies elsewhere Africa The develop larger social groups particularly those women relatively recent phenomenon Consequently surprising group members educated middle class women money activities This situation differs considerably either West African Sahel Eastern African countries Kenya where kinds women groups quite active cases politically powerful In subsequent months I gotten these middle class women better As school speak French although prefer speak Kirundi Their lives certainly easier those women farmers nonetheless still constraints Colette situation serves example It April The strong winds bright puffy clouds breath sanity lining clouds underscores temporary nature reprieve It again today Meanwhile leaves banana plants dance breeze The winds rains batter house In month southern crumbled With exposed other exterior walls follow The branch wattle framework emerging walls Bits charred strewn about floor The skeleton rooms remains visible Nothing value remains reconstructed scratch Our neighbors house burned night AN Andre I friends Someone dropped cigarette undernea wardrobe which caught Andre Colette their daughters guests rushed burning house All childre mattress Neighbors heard cries ignored thinking Andre drunk beating Colette again Colette Andre young educated middle class Burundian couple employed government salaried white collar She works secretary With their combined monthly salaries francs relatively comfortably The capita income Burundi estimated annum They bought built their house years While middle housekeeper takes children prepares meals charcoal market washes clothes bedding hangs fence hauls water nearby public faucet Colette gives impression being strong woman She solid large frame filled curves fuzzy Afro hairdo framing She fairly spoken seems herself world She curious interested improving Her husband Andre slighter build When sober quite charming His young daughters clearly adore running returns Their eldest daughter Andrea bright energetic curious child always zooming around coming I doing Her sister Maria trails along graduaily overcoming shyness abazungu whites living When I first arrived Bururi Colette little girls eager My husband arrived months earlier wondering would The little girls curious about seemed surprised learn understand Kirundi So started learning greetings French communicate Occasionally I working garden Colette would wander She asked stran vegetables basil zucchini squash could recommended I ooking leaves I explained I eaten sauces leaves West Africa recommended basil tomato sauces She wanted recipes variety I suggested learning preparing locally available foods Western recipes called exotic imported foods would expensive This Colette She pregnant entitled weeks natal leave weeks natal leave weeks annual leave The actually arrived month after predicted Colette months We talked about situation She admitted wishing could choose children I could Burundian husbands expects children Colette others Catholic Another neighbor Ernestine salaried bureaucrat working secretary third Her older children Colette children Andrea Maria Salaried employees Burundi elsewhere Africa receive generous maternity rights monthly allowances addition their dependent spouse child These benefits natal encouraging educated women children every These benefits quite expensive developing countries benefiting small section society which already advantaged comparison average subsistence farmers Currently African governments however unlikely limit benefits children family China Singapore order discourage large families Yet country Burundi population density estimated people square kilometer people square population growth percent restraint seems needed Burundi neighboring Rwanda densely populated countries Africa During Colette accompanied capital Bujumbura She wanted visit friends items unavailable interior Although Bujumbura Bururi rarely chance travel there In truck takes hours public buses easily entire Public transit quite hazardous government curvy mountain between Bururi Lake Tanganyika route Bujumbura killing sixty persons aboard We Bujumbura Fiday planned return Bururi following When arrived Bujumbura however discovered there gasoline would available until Monday Colette holiday extended visit longer friends Her family however happened there contact With fighting going Uganda October major supply route petroleum products Trans African HighwaY going Kenyan Mombassa across Kenya Uganda Rwanda Burundi This route customary means transporting imported goods Indian Ocean Burundi The Burundian government concluded negotiations Tanzanian government bring Dar Es Salam across Tanzania train Kigoma there Lake Tanganyika steamer Bujumbura Although route shorter generally problematic alternative through Uganda goods travel combination Consequently Burundian government rationing oline until supplies began arriving A weeks later I traveling husband returned AM Colette Andrea Maria camped front house Andre drinking heavily become abusive taken children Several times property persuade return refused Our night guard prevented Andre approaching house protecting Colette bodily Finally Andre sleep around AM shortly thereafter After Andre invited evening In honor birth Andre mother visit village kilometers miles brought banana brewed We living sipping communal sraws inquired about Had chosen This questi surprised hosts asked wanted We explained country people usually choose before immediately after birth hence question commonly asked politeness parents Choosing Burundi learned simple process Traditionally individuals given their names often based circumstances birth rarely given names their parents other family members With introduction Christianity individuals acquired Christian first traditional Increasingly children being given traditional their This Andre Colette father family oldest daughters The third daughter however posed problem Colette wanted little carry husband other daughters This would easier future dealing authorities school other ernment agencies children would family Andre however adamant could The under different circumstances first instead hospital needed different commemorate circumstances birth Andre Colette would waiting around thinking subject Later evening returned heard arguing further about Since house burned three months Andre Colette their three daughters housekeeper living rented apartment Catholic Mission Colette dropped other Friends given contributions rebuild their uninsured But explained still money seventeen pieces corrugated metal roofing In addition obtain framework neighbors housekeepers taken poles house remains firewood cooking Not rebuild house acquire clothes furniture dishes virtually including items acquired shopping Bujumbura Colette hopes rebuilding house eroding Andre drinking heavily unable persuade economize money rebuild At francs quart bottle Primus cigarettes Andre spending monthly salary Colette salary barely covers housekeeper salary alone There little Colette Beer drinking major socializing among generally frowned Historically considered wealth afford drink But Andre other friends endangering occasionally failing Similarly although beating encouraged established local tradition certainly itself socially accepted grounds divorce Legally however women divorce rights improving Colette however recently started fight Friends really little reluctant money Andre drink Colette meanwhile continues rebuild house furnish again provide herself children clothes She other dreams having running water electricity house having transportation knows remoter still As neighbors bring their graze weeds invading Colette abandoned Soon heavy rainy season The three month season would rebuild The question course whether Colette manage obtain money begin rebuild future daughters Sincerely Paula O Williams Forest Society Fellow Received Hanover