Schelper Bess African Cultures T04.4001 Professor Sterling September 10, 2008 Segu Essay 1 - Polygyny While Segu is a fictional piece of literature, author Maryse Cond based the story on real events and practices that were common in eighteenth century Africa. One such tradition was that of polygyny, a term which translates from the Greek for "women."1 It is a certain form of polygamy that functions as a means of displaying the dominance of the male over the female. Dousika Traore is the prime example of this type of display in the novel. To be polygynous, men have to be wealthy, or else they cannot financially sustain their families. Dousika is a very affluent nobleman or yerewolo2 and friend of Mansa Monzon Diarra. Thus, he has two wives and various mistresses. This ability to possess women works for the better of Dousika because it enables his family to expand exponentially more than it would have with only one wife. After all, at this time, a husband in the Bambara culture is not allowed to sleep with his wife while she is pregnant and often even for months after the delivery. Besides taking a toll on the size of an African family, this also curbs husbands from sexual gratification. So, polygyny benefits the man on two levels: family development and sexuality. Polygyny rarely serves as fine a purpose for women, however. Unless a lady is the first wife, she is in an observably inferior position. Nya, Dousika's first wife, or bara muso,3 enjoys the benefits of her status because she can "address as him an equal."4 His
1 2
"Polygyny," 2008, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polygyny> Maryse Cond, Segu (New York: Penguin Books, 1987) 3. 3 Maryse Cond, Segu (New York: Penguin Books, 1987) 5.
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Maryse Cond, Segu (New York: Penguin Books, 1987) 5.
*This is a reworking of text from Fulwiler and Hayaka, The Blair Handbook, NJ: Preston Hall, 2003.
second wife, Nieli, has less authority and has to respect not only Dousika as her superior, but also Nya. The first wife is viewed by all other wives and mistresses with esteem. When her husband wishes to take another wife, she must meet with the approval of the bara muso. Finally, the role of the concubine (of which there are three mentioned in Segu) is one of clear lowliness. While mistresses are treated with respect (especially those with child), they are ultimately looked down upon by others living in the compound. Sira, is the b...