Lets talk African Feminism.

We've learnt about the different variants of African Feminism but let me teach you about the oldest form of Feminism in Africa KUKING'A (To Protect)

African Feminism has been present for centuries and unlike our counterparts in the Western world we only started to coin it in the 70s. By the 90s at the birth of Third Wave of Feminism, Africans (mostly men) began to push the narrative that Patriarchy was imported from Europe.

They claimed that Africa was largely Matriarchal and only became patriarchal with the arrival of colonialists. While some tribes did adopt Matriarchal systems the majority of Africa was extremely patriarchal. Laws and systems were set to put women at a disadvantage.

The only difference between between European Patriarchal systems and African ones were that Europeans thought their misogyny was more refined.

African women have been victims of the Patriarchy system firmly placed in Africa before & after colonial times.

Some of the harmful traditional practices forced on women in Africa include:
- FGM
- Forced feeding of girls
- Early marriage
- Sexual Cleansing
- Breast pressing
- Female infanticide
- Taboos or practices which prevent women from controlling their own fertility & lives.

For centuries men have seen these things happen to women and they've done nothing. Now here is how KUKING'A comes in. In almost every African society there has been a group of women who've chosen to band together and protect women and children without men's help.

These groups were/are often started by widows, divorced women and women who had a considerable amount of wealth. Their goal was to educate, empower and protect women who did not have the means to do so for themselves. They used their influence and money to help other women.

These groups did not include men, they were created to protect women from the violence perpetrated by men and till this day these groups are still being formed.

An example of this is the UMOJA village. A women's only village in Kenya.

Umoja was founded by Rebecca Lolosoli in 1990 as a sanctuary home for women and girls who have been victims of rape, child marriages and GBV. She started this village after realising that women & girls would continue to face discrimination and violence at the hands of men...

...and that men were not willing to stop this violence and help women. Her village has served as a safe place for girls and women running away from violence targeted against us. The village itself is sustainable, the women indulge in several business and crafts to make money.

It has a school for children and the women who live in it advocate for women's rights. They speak against FGM, child marriages and GBV.

*Read more on them and find out about the 600 rape reports in Kenyan by the British army and what happened to the Samburu women.*

One of my favourite examples of KUKING'A is what is referred to as Village Banking. A banking system created by African women to help women attain wealth and financial independence. Today this system has been adopted by banks but one of the first people to start it were African W

The rules differ from various regions but the goal is the same. In villages in Zambia women adopt this system to help fund poor women start businesses by loaning them money which they pay at an agreed time and at lower interest rates than the bank.

In Buchi Emecheta's book Joys of Motherhood we are told Nnu moves to Lagos and joins the Igbo women's society where she is lent money to start a business. From her business she's able to attain financial independence and later on use it to support her family.

Village Banking has helped women who need a large influx of money to escape horrible marriages, pay for their children's education and for emergency purposes.

Another example is societies that African women have formed since the beginning of time help women.

In Sefi Atta's book Swallow, Tolani's mother tells her of her Great Aunt's group of women who dye cloth. The group is used to teach women a craft, attain finacial independence and it also acts as a vigilante group. The women use their power to save women from forced marriages...

Kidnappings and they teach abusive husbands a thing or two about justice. This group is similar to most groups of women I've heard and read about in Africa. Women who choose to take matters in their own hands to protect themselves from men.

A great example was the 1948 market women's protest in Abeokuta Nigeria led by Chief Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti. These women were protesting against the sexist tax placed on women and they were able to make the chief relinquish his throne for a time.

*Read more on it*

In my village Mwinilunga, I saw it with my grandmother and her friends. A group of old women who specifically have farming jobs to single mothers . Rented out their houses to single mothers & widows. These old ladies took it upon themselves to feed orphans and...

And the mentally impaired. I was always instructed to cook for 8 whenever I visited even though we were just the 3 of us. The majority of the food was given to those who had nothing but knew there was always food at her place for them. I saw it with other women her age too.

From my generation I see it here too. We've created our own groups of like minded Feminists and used our power and privilege to help those in need. My personal example is the Coven, we've helped pay school fees, provide books, clothes, free pads and food to underprivileged kids.

We've helped Sexual Assualt victims, helped women get employed, offered our professional services for free to women and children in need and we've created a support system that not only helps us but anyone who is in need.

What makes this form of African Feminism different is that women aren't fighting for a seat at the table, they are creating their own table. They have no time to reason with men and beg for equality. They are getting justice on their own terms and they are doing it together.

KUKING'A is the informal banding of African women to protect themselves from violence perpetrated by men. It is not inclusive of men and only centers women and children, specifically girls.

I termed it KUKING'A with my mother's help because it means to Protect in Lunda. Women protecting themselves, Women protecting their children, Women protecting their sisters, Women protecting themselves by taking charge. Women being their own superheroes.