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| amazighstarrynights (profile) wrote, on 1-11-2005 at 8:51am | |
| Current mood: artistic Subject: Feminism in Islam |
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| I'm redecorating my house. I was looking for some designs for fabrics and came across this story about the Blue People in Morocco. They are a group of Berbers (forgive me but after a vacation I'm always on a research kick of the place I just was - not to mention I'm doing a Moroccan themed bedroom...). The Blue People are called this because of a blue stone they use when dying fabric and it turns their bodies a tint of blue. The coolest thing though is that it's a matriarchical society, even though they are Muslims. The Blue People have a matriarchal society: unusual enough in terms of "Western" cultures, almost unbelievable in context of what is assumed to be "Islamic". Women keep all the household keys, show off their "strength" by impromptu wrestling matches, go unveiled - while the men modestly cover their noses and mouths with the end of their tagelmousses (several meters of gauze, wrapped around the head in a turban), and have equal - if not greater rights to choose/take as many lovers as they wish before marriage: it only increases their value, skill and desirability. Why do Blue men, feared to this day for their ferocity and skill as warriors and respected as businessmen, "veil" and defer to their own women? Because of their belief that the world has a great number of evil "spirits" eager to invade the body via any opening - especially the mouth and nostrils, so they must cover/protect the entranceways, but since women know the secret of life: only they can conceive and givebirth, they have natural protection against these evil spirits. I just thought this was awesome. Go girls!!! |
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cowboy67 | 01-11-05 10:15am haha that's so great. woo hoo for women!
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jaganshi | 01-16-05 9:58pm Cool. |