An African Woman : Poem by a young Namibian

By Victoria Hasheela 
published in 
Women and Custom in Namibia, 
Cultural Practice versus Gender Equality?, 
ed. Oliver C Ruppel, Macmillan Education Namibia, 
Windhoek, 2008, 
p. 8. 

I'm an African woman
A victim of culture
I have no rights
I do whatever he says

I am his first wife
I thought I'd be the only one
But after one year
There were two of us

I was taken by surprise
I didn't see it coming
I was only told
The day that she arrived

He said it's his right
He said I've no say
He said it's his house
He said it's Africa

This is the fifth year
There are now five of us
I wonder if he'll get more
I still have no say

He is a proud king
I gave him two sons
But I am feeling ill
There's a disease in me

I wonder if culture will ever change
I wonder if this will go on and on
I wonder how many more generations
Will experience this trauma

They say it is culture
It is not his fault
He found it here
But I really wonder
If it's not time
To stop this trauma
And let go of the culture