The Modern Bajan (Barbadian) Woman: Good bye Inez
The Caribbean Is One Nation.
The Modern Bajan (Barbadian) Woman: Good bye Inez
By Pachamama
The Modern Bajan (Barbadian) Woman: Good bye Inez
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| Bajan (Barbadian) women : New Freedoms |
The Mighty Gabby in his magisterial work asked Inez to come down, but Bajan women after 500 years in a strange land are showing signs that they are determined to regain that matriarchal place, formerly held, in African societies, though this new dispensation may, in many ways, be very different from 'traditional' practice. Gabbo might have been calling Inez, but now all Bajan women are calling on men to come down. Come down from patriarchy, come down from chauvinism, come down from misogyny, come down from the ways of massa. In fact, men are more and more being beckoned to go down, to heaven, as a condition precedent!
Skinner(Mahogany Coconut Group) talks about a new status quo. The fish cakes, tapioca and bakes that Gabby seems to like from his Inez are not as generally available to Bajan men these days. For Inez has the stove turned off more often than not. And Inez cares not as much about this 'dated' male expectation. This modern Bajan Inez has her own money in her pocket and is the central driving force behind the evolving local economy. A party economy where she is the central force, and calling the shots. These tooooo sweet Bajan women got Bajan men spinning. For new levels of freedoms exposes Gabby's tooo sweet, toooo sweet, tooooo sweet.... to the attentions of others. Or is it theirs? This is merely one of the new and normalizing freedoms of this growing power of the Bajan 'woe unto man'. The Aquarian Age has reach Barbados, at long last!
It is a new normalcy that sees dozens of fast food chains, all of which are doing good business. There is not as much time to cook anymore and the holidays provide no particular incentive to spend hours slaving in some place formally known as a kitchen. Inez might even decide to build her next house without such a place of bondage. There were times when this almighty Bajan woman was tethered to a stove, barefoot and frequently pregnant, no more sir! This modern Bajan woman must now navigate certain new operational procedures that are consistent with openness to western ideas of sexual freedom, intellectual independence, social leadership and economic self-determination. Newer forms of older social technologies are being deftly employed by this Bajan woman as she insist on absolute ownership and control of self.
The Aquarian Age has located the Bajan women in lock step with her sisters elsewhere. Women are more broadly defining when, where, how and with whom they'll have children, or not? They are choosing to rare their children alone, if they want to. To forgone interactions with men, if the cost benefit analysis fails certain benchmarks. To rely on electronic devises to advance a certain level of regularity, efficiency and effectiveness, if needs be. To explore a range of options that may include sperm banks, sperm donors and specific capture.
This growing normalcy may very well see polyandry emerge as the answer to the polygamy that has always been practiced in Barbados, especially up until the 1910's when this popular, open and acceptable family formation was de-legitimized by the then 'established' Anglican Church. Gabby's Inez may be soon asking him not to 'come' home tonight, or to sleep in the next room, or on the couch, or a firm 'request' for a numerical 'disadvantage'.
Bajan men have no choice but to move steadfastly to adjust to the new rules. This is not the time to spend a generation to acclimatize to this environment. On the other hand, there are still too many women in Barbados and the rest of the world who yet live in the old dispensation, the dispensation of Gabby's Inez. Men must act, in their own interests, and hasten the elevation of all women to their rightful place. A place determined by them, and them alone.
Pachamama is a social commentator
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