CHAPTER 5: ANALYSIS OF SELECTED TEXTS
5.5 Synopsis of the drama, Kudela Owaziyo (Maphumulo, 2009)
5.5.2 Gender stereotypes
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were paid for asserts Gama (2004:112). For some men it totally changes the relationship itself because the partners immediately become unequal.
Children in traditional Zulu societies were expected to respect their parents. The 21st century play presents Mdaluli as if he lived in the times gone by. Nowadays, while children are still expected to respect their parents they also may share their views with their parents in an open family platform. In the drama Londiwe calls in the police with the aim of protecting her mother from being beaten up. Mdaluli interprets his daughter’s action as that of a daughter who lacks respect. This is why he says:
Izinkunzi ezimbili zingehlale esibayeni sinye...Mina nendodakazi yami uLondiwe sibanga ubukhulu kulomuzi, kusobala-ke ukuthi sonke sesingomakhonya izinkunzi ezimalundalunda. Sekumele kucace-ke manje!
(p80).
(Two bulls cannot stay in one kraal...My daughter, Londiwe and I are fighting over authority in this house. It is clear that we are now both in control, the two big bulls. Now is the time for things to be clearer!)
Manhood is equal to power. According to the Zulu culture the man had absolute power and authority over everything in his house that includes wife, children, cattle, goats, farming land and the house itself. This kind of ownership was moderated by the Constitution of South Africa that guarantees rights for women and children. In spite of all these changes Mdaluli still sees himself as the ’bull’ of the home that should be placed on a pedestal no matter what he does to his family.
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of referring to Chivenga as kwerekwere (a derogatory name used to refer to African foreign nationals in South Africa) she expresses words of envy:
Phela bengiwubuza ngoba ngisalandelisa ngenkulumo ethi uyadela lowo muntu wesifazane okuganile ngoba kusho ukuthi uhlale evuka ngaphansi kophahla lwendlu edonsa abantu abedlula ngendlela ngenxa yobuhle nokukhanga. Kubi okwamanga nokukufela umona phela mfowethu, uhamba wedwa wena inkosi impela. Phansi umona. Unekhono elibabazekayo ngendlela eyisimangaliso phela wena (p25)
(This is a follow up question because I wanted to say; happy is the woman that is married to you. She ought to be happy because everyday of her life, she wakes up from the beautiful house that attracts passers-by. Truth be told and jealous pushed aside, you are the best. You have an amazing and outstanding talent).
Her changed attitude and reaction towards Chivenga is driven by materialism. She has her own boyfriend, Manqina, whom she truly loves. That is evident in her thoughts when she thinks aloud:
...Lokhu okuyikwerekwere uma ngikwabela inhliziyo yami ngiyobe ngiqonde ukuzixhaphazela khona nje ngoba ngiyazi ukuthi khona phela kucubuza amagabade ngemali lapha kubantu besimame...Ngifuna
‘kuchame’ lokhu lapha kimi kuyothi kungadiza kuphundleke kuze kuqothuke izinkophe bese ngikwala-ke mina umgangela ngaleso sikhathi (p34).
(If I give my heart to this foreigner, I would be doing it so that I can dig money because I know that he likes making women happy by giving them money...I want him to “pee” all the money, by the time I am finished with him, he won’t have a penny and I will then openly end the relationship).
The author uses this character, Hlengiwe, to emphasise the stereotypical perception that city women are gold-diggers and prostitutes.
A woman from a rural or urban area does not need to have had sexual relationships with many men in her life to be labelled a prostitute. The word ‘prostitute’ is also loosely used by men as an invective against any female person. Mdaluli also uses it when swearing at his daughters saying:
Baphume balibhekisa ngaphi labonoyile bakho mkami, hhe? Ngithi bashone ngaphi ukuze ngibalandele ezithendeni yikhona ngizosale sengiqeda nya ngabo? (p82).
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(Which direction did these prostitutes of yours my wife take, he? I am asking what direction did they take so that I can follow them and kill them?).
It is very unusual for the father to use this derogatory word when referring to his own children. The author deliberately allows Mdaluli to use the word ‘prostitutes’ when referring to his daughters to show that stereotyping has no boundaries.
On the other hand, rural women are being perceived and also depicted as foolish people who are prone to making stupid decisions. MaMlanduli is battered by her husband Mdaluli, for an issue that could have easily been resolved through a discussion. Instead of protecting herself or screaming for help she admonishes him:
Kulungile! Ngithi ngishaye uze ungibulale uma uthanda kodwa okusalayo wukuthi uyoyithola ngifile lento oyifunayo. Akumele ume ngeqholo lokuthi wangilobola ngoba ufuna konke ngempoqo nangendlovu yangena (p61) (It’s fine! You can beat me to death if you like, but there is one thing that you should know is that you will only get what you want when I am dead.
You cannot boast about the lobolo you paid in order to get whatever you want).
After her husband has been charged with assault and domestic violence, she is the first person to pay him a visit and forgives him. This is what she has to say to her husband that had been beating her a day before:
Ingani phela ngiqonde ukukukhombisa baba wabantabami ukuthi anginanxa neze nawe mina, nginjalo nje futhi angikubambele magqubu ngokwenzekile izolo. Ngithanda wazi futhi ukuthi akusimina okubizele amaphoyisa, naphezu kwakho konke lokho angikujabuleli neze ukulethwa kwakho lapha (p72).
(I want to show you father of my children that I am not angry at you and I do not hold any grudge against you in connection with what happened yesterday. I would also like you to know that I did not call the police and above everything seeing you here does not make me happy).
The author depicts MaMlanduli as a foolish character that gracefully accepts physical abuse by her husband because she is a traditional, uneducated rural woman and therefore does not understand her rights. Some women will take responsibility for
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the abuse levelled by men against them. They blame themselves for having provoked their husbands and therefore conclude that they deserve to be beaten up.
5.5.3 Portrayal of women images