Dear Friends,
As some of you may know, Episode 10 of the Mythological Africans Deep Dive Series is now available. This episode introduces the topic of African Sexualities and Sexual Practices. I give an overview of the various culture-specific terms used to refer to concepts, practices, and people on the LBGTQIA spectrum in different African cultures. I also briefly touch on the subject of hetero-normative approaches to sexuality in communities.
Recently, I’ve found myself thinking more about the ways in which shame, fear, guilt, and the general confusion around sexuality have complicated what should be normal and joyous experiences for people. A fellow Cameroonian woman who, at the time, had just become a new mother, once spoke to me about the shame she felt while pregnant. Why? Because her swollen belly was visible evidence that she had been sexually active. Imagine that! A married woman with a devoted husband and an otherwise good life, feeling shame over her pregnancy. From what I hear, this is a common experience.
I also think this presents an opportunity to tell a new story. One which considers what was helpful about the ways in which some African communities approached sexual development, as well as the ways in which time has changed the norms around what is acceptable, for better or worse. I hope you stick around for subsequent episodes which will focus on the specific heterosexual and queer sexual practices of particular peoples and share your thoughts about what is worth revisiting.
Outside of that, March was an exciting time for Mythological Africans! First, we had two very special guest appearances in the MA Twitter Spaces gatherings: Rafeeat Aliyu and Arao Ameny, both of whom are writers whose work I love. If you missed those sessions, not to worry! We have partnered with the great team at Pod Save Africa to bring you MA Twitter Spaces gatherings in podcast format. What this means is that if you are unable to join us at 6pm ET (US) on Fridays for live storytelling or guest sessions, you can catch up with the fun. You can listen to the chat I had with Oyin of Pod Save Africa here.
Also, as some of you may know, a good chunk of the material I consult for the stories and other information I share across MA’s platforms come from Internet Archive, an online public library. So, it was a thrill and a treat to participate in their Library as Laboratory webinar and talk about how their resources support the work I do. I had the pleasure of doing this with my dear friend Laura Gibbs, who has put together this very helpful Guide to African Folktales at Internet Archive.
We’re keeping things moving along with more exciting events and projects. On May 3rd, I will be joining our friends of UCL’s Radical Anthropology Group to talk about the civilizing influence of women in African mythology and folklore. You can register for that talk here. Also, we are moving ahead with our Philosophical Africans Book Club! You can learn more about what this is about here and join the Community on Twitter here. For now, please take some time to read the community’s rules (copy and paste the link into a browser!) and keep an eye out for our first round of reading assignments! I am still welcoming ideas on how to make this the best it can be!
As always, I am so glad you are here for this adventure!
Be well,
Helen