Today, sitting at a restaurant in Nelson Mandela Square, I saw a woman carrying her baby tied to her back. Now for those of you who aren't familiar with Africa or its traditions, this is an everyday occurrence. From the age of three months the child in their care is carried in a blanket tied to their backs. I was carried like that when I was little, and so was three quarters of our population.
So why was this so interesting to me? Its interesting because African women are changing.
Gone are the days when they were fully obedient to men and elders. Now they go to universities and send their sons and daughters too, to build a better future. They are impeccably dressed in the latest fashions, down to toe-curling high-heels. But still, the baby is put in a blanket and tied to their backs.
Its an interesting mix of old tradition and modernisation. It shows that even though we change, we still hold on to where we come from.
That's why I smiled when I saw a baby on a woman's back.
So why was this so interesting to me? Its interesting because African women are changing.
Gone are the days when they were fully obedient to men and elders. Now they go to universities and send their sons and daughters too, to build a better future. They are impeccably dressed in the latest fashions, down to toe-curling high-heels. But still, the baby is put in a blanket and tied to their backs.
Its an interesting mix of old tradition and modernisation. It shows that even though we change, we still hold on to where we come from.
That's why I smiled when I saw a baby on a woman's back.
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