Essay On Motherhood

905 Words4 Pages
Life is a precious gift that is granted to all humans through women, women are the salt of the Earth, life is unimaginable without women, but most of us fail to understand what is meant by womanhood, what best defines womanhood? The following essay discusses the topic: Motherhood is the only defining aspect of true womanhood in African societies. Womanhood in some African cultures is said to be achieved after undergoing female circumcision, some say monthly periods define womanhood. Motherhood or the ability to bear children in African societies is seen as a wifely duty and one does not sreceive congratulations for bearing children, this is because to Africans it is not just about becoming a mother and having children, the manner in which…show more content…
African religions see motherhood as spiritual growth; it is believed that motherhood is a God-given role that comes with other roles including nurturing, providing and inspiring role model to her children. It is a privilege because not all women have less-complicated pregnancies, once one has given birth to a healthy baby it is said that they are privileged as very few women experience it. [Google:R Akujobi-CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture 13.1 (2011): ] Motherhood is the only thing in which an African woman's worth is measured. A woman without a child is viewed as a waste to herself, to her husband and to her society. In traditional sense, one powers possessed by men in society limits women of motherhood to foster traditions despite how ancient these patriarchies are, and in Africa traditions motherhood also becomes a means of female control. In most cultures, expectations of mothering roles increases social pressure to conform to cultural and traditional decrees, this seems to be driven by levels of modernity or urbanization. [Google:R Akujobi-CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture 13.1 (2011):
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