BRIDES FOR SALE
KENYA NATIVE CUSTOM
"Women's sex loyalty, which is one of the features of the present age, is finding expression in the action of the British Women's Commonwealth League, (states "The Queen"). The matter of marriage customs, among the natives irr Kenya has caused concern to thoughtful women, and the league has called a conference to ventilate the subject, and, if possible, tp arrive at the facts.
Travellers have reported that the custom of bride barter in Kenya results in the virtual.selling into slavery of girls to their husbands' by their parents. The Government authorities, while admitting that barter exists, claim that the custom is not abused. In spite of this claim the evidence is accumulating that this practice results in cruel hardship to the girls. Their parents sell them to the highest bidder, it is alleged, regardless of the wishes of the girls: A man may buy as many wives as he can pay for, and set them to work in anyway h^ chooses, since they are his absolute property. . .
The conference will be addressed by men and women who have been in Kenya, and if proof is given of the inhuman practice, representations will be made to the Government and a change demanded. Mrs. Guy Innes, who will, preside at the meeting, is described as,a very gentle,lady in manner, charmingly dressed, with a sane outlook and a sense of humour. She said, when asked about the matter: "An injustice to women in any part of the world is the concern of all other women. We have had strong representations made to us by travellers in this matter of the Kenya women, and, while we want to avoid any fanatical or exaggerated attitude, we are determined to act if the conditions are as bad as we have heard. We have no doubt that the Government will pay attention to any recommendations we may make, since they have no wish ,to perpetuate customs which are unfair to the women in their dependencies." •
This is the kind of reasonable spirit that achieves reform, whether feminist _qr otherwise.
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19351227.2.140.2
Bibliographic details
Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 154, 27 December 1935, Page 13
Word Count
348BRIDES FOR SALE Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 154, 27 December 1935, Page 13
Using This Item
Stuff Ltd is the copyright owner for the Evening Post. You can reproduce in-copyright material from this newspaper for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 3.0 New Zealand licence. This newspaper is not available for commercial use without the consent of Stuff Ltd. For advice on reproduction of out-of-copyright material from this newspaper, please refer to the Copyright guide.
Log in