Between Yesterday and Tomorrow.

"Between Yesterday and Tomorrow"

Writings by Namibian Women Compiled and edited by Elizabeth IKhaxas

Namibia has a new book! "Between Yesterday and Tomorrow" comprises close to 100 short stories and poems looking through a literary magnifying glass at the situation of women in Namibia today. The authors are women from all regions in Namibia, from all cultural and educational backgrounds, from all generations and various professions. They responded to a call by the Women's Leadership Centre to "analyse the reality of Namibian women's lives at the time of celebrating 15 years of independence" and to write about their experiences and dreams "between yesterday and tomorrow."

And what is the reality of women's lives today? The book is introduced by four prominent women who all supported the writing project wholeheartedly, hoping that Namibia's new gender policies, legal frameworks and ratifications of international declarations on gender equality since independence would somehow be mirrored in the women's stories; that there would be stories of success, development, hope and change.

But what they found left them profoundly shattered. Most stories are about "women in traditional society and the ways in which customs and culture have deprived them of their basic human rights and dignity. They portray patriarchal dominance, and women's and children's submission, deprivation, poverty, ignorance, disease and susceptibility to violence and abuse," writes Marlene Mungunda, Minister of Gender Equality and Child Welfare. And Ellen Ndeshi Namhila, Director of the Namibia Library and Archives Service in the Ministry of Education and herself a writer, became, while reading the manuscript, more and more shocked by the appalling situation of the suffering of our women at the hands of their men. "This collection of writings," she notes, "shows us the real situation on the ground. It forces us to ask ourselves how we have misdirected our efforts ..."

But the writings also show that women no longer meekly accept their oppression. In spite of the pain and shame portrayed in this book, it is also seen as a liberating testimony of "the power, strength and tenacity of Namibia's women" by Khin-Sandi Lwin, representative of UNICET in Windhoek. And Dr. Becky Ndjoze-Ojo, Deputy Minister of Education writes, "The hope that shines through the voices of our women in this book is an encouragement and challenge to all of us, as a nation, to continue with our social transformation into a more peace-loving and just nation."

The power of the pen reaches levels in society where politics is powerless. "I salute you, Namibian women," says Ellen Namhila. "You may be suffering, you may be victims in your homes and in your communities, but you have courage. By bringing out your pains, by sharing your suffering, you can help other women in similar situations."

The book ends with a section of poems and stories that highlight women's demand for resistance and change. The very last story is one by Elizabeth IKhaxas, who also is the visionary initiator and editor of this anthology. It is called "The new beginning" and celebrates the courage of a man who was brave enough to challenge oppressive traditional inheritance laws so that his widow and children could live in peace and dignity after his death: "What a day!" the village women sing. "The beginning of a new tradition. The widows and the children are human beings ... Tate Filemon, you did it! You did it! You showed the way ... others must follow!"

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Elizabeth IKhaxas ends her introduction to the book with the following words:

"Through these stories we are speaking other ways of being "a woman" into existence. Our texts disrupt the old narratives of cultural oppression and open our path towards achieving autonomy and exercising agency as women, as people, as citizens, as individuals who have choices and who accept responsibility for our actions. We can reconstitute ourselves through refusing and resisting oppressive discourses and practices--challenging and rejecting everything that is not in our interest as women.

"This is not a smooth process but is complex and contradictory, as can be seen in these stories of personal and political struggles. May this book lead to dialogue that will open up more spaces for subjugated knowledge that has been silenced by the hegemonic patriarchal discourses of history, politics, religion, tradition and culture.