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Silent no longer Stories told in French by the women of Africa and the Caribbean islands Archived article from Oct 13, 2000 By Diane Cornell French-speaking women of Africa and the Caribbean have often been thought of as silent. But Renée Larrier, associate professor of French, hears them loud and clear. Now she has added to their voices with "Francophone Women Writers of Africa and the Caribbean" (University Press of Florida). In the book she examines how black, French-speaking women of Africa and the Caribbean have passed on their traditions and stories over the years, before turning to the actual written word to relate their distinct experiences. "Many people have thought that these women have been silenced by society, but feminists have argued that this is not true. Rather, society refuses to listen to what they have to say," Larrier notes. Larrier, who grew up on Long Island and began studying French in the fifth grade, has combined her love of language and black literature to produce the book. She says she has interwoven the works of Caribbean and African women because they share many of the same experiences and deal with some of the same themes. "They are concerned, for example, with family, identity, friendship and coming to voice," she says. Although these women have not, for the most part, had access to publishing until recently, Larrier says that has not kept them from expressing themselves. Her book describes the various ways women have chosen to be heard over the years. For example, in West and Central Africa women wear a wrapper, or "pagne," as a skirt. The cloth can be printed with a message on it: It might display the face of a presidential candidate to show support for his policies; or it might be covered with footprints to signify that the woman follows her husband around to prevent him from "stepping out" on her, that is, having a mistress. Another tradition in Central Africa was to engrave proverbs on cooking pot lids. When a woman had a grievance against her husband, she served him dinner from the pot whose lid bore a message related to her complaint. He would read the inscription and understand her concerns. In Martinique and Guadeloupe, women over age 18 used to wear a brightly colored head scarf called a "madras." By tying it in a certain way, they could indicate their availability to suitors. The manner in which it was tied could also designate a woman's profession. Today, the head covering is seen only in parades or pageants when traditional dress is worn. Larrier details how these silent gestures impart information and give women a voice so that their opinions and stories are known. She says that it was not until the 20th century that many of these groups began to actually write stories on paper in large numbers. Having learned French in school, they chose to write in French rather than in their local language so they could reach a broader audience. Being able to tell their stories and pass on information, first through tales, songs and rituals, and later through written expression, empowers these women, Larrier writes, conferring authority on them and their communities. "As producers and transmitters of an oral tradition, they participate in their culture's survival," Larrier notes. Larrier says that the word Francophone, which simply means French-speaking, tends to put people off, since they assume they will have to understand French to read her book. "Don't let the title of the book intimidate you. All the French is translated into English in the book," she reassures. "It is a scholarly book but also, I hope, accessible to the general public." The book includes an impressive bibliography listing more than 300 entries. Larrier notes that African and Caribbean women have always been the object of others' stories, where they were stereotypically depicted in racist or sexist ways: as savages with exaggerated sexuality or as objects to be bought and sold. In contrast, she notes, in their own writings these women are shown at times suffering "loss and sometimes violence, but they are proud and dignified and persevere despite tremendous odds." In addition, gender boundaries are transgressed: The women are seen not only as caretakers of children but also as the principal family breadwinners or even as activists in the struggle for independence. "Female characters found in these texts are not -- as they are often represented -- all passive, silent or helpless victims, nor are they idealized mothers, jealous wives or disobedient daughters," she says. Rather, they are schoolteachers, agricultural workers, midwives -- all complex characters whose voices are inscribed by women writers. Larrier says she wrote the book hoping it would encourage others to seek out the novelists and writers she discusses, such as Maryse Condé of Guadeloupe and Edwidge Danticat of Haiti. "I am hoping my book will call attention to Francophone women writers and more of their work will be translated and published in English." Larrier is now working on a project about the Haitian Pavilion at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition, which was held in Chicago. The pavilion seemed to have been a haven for black Americans who were excluded from participating in many of the other attractions. Larrier says that famed elocutionist Henrietta Vinton Davis, who later became one of the leaders of Marcus Garvey's movement, put on a play at the Haitian Pavilion. Larrier is now scanning microfilm to read old newspapers published from that era to find references to Vinton Davis, hoping to learn more about the life and work of this fascinating black woman.
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