Culture is perceived as the totality of a group of similar individuals, living in any geographical location or niche. Totality may refer to their way of life referencing their general beliefs, food they eat, what they eat, mode of dressing etc.
It is also believed that majority usually carries the vote, but then again, what if the majority is wrong on a common belief or custom?
In the world of medicine, it was french custom years ago to treat injuries (especially those of soldiers) with mecury. Doctors saw it as a right way of doing things and that caused a lot of deaths due to poisoning.
Now, contrary to the popular belief that the crowd can never be wrong, the crowd can in fact be wrong and if you feel that is a lie, ask the countless who died from mecury poisoning
In Africa, we have numerous countries rich in cultural heritage and norms, countries that share cultural beliefs that will make you either feel proud, safe or disturbed and today we dissect some of those customs.
In Nigeria, especially in some parts of the Eastern region, when a woman's husband dies, she is made to shave her hair and compulsorily mourn for a fixed period of time.
That is not all, she is made to marry another of her husband's brother if he so desires, without her input being needed in the matter.
It is common knowledge that most Nigerian customs or cultural beliefs do not favor the women and this is bad. Now if the reverse were to be thee case, the man would just act like nothing happened (unless he truly loved the woman) and move on.
Usually women who marry other men even after a year of their husband's demise are seen as the suspected killers even if the medical reports suggest otherwise. Illiteracy is a major culprit in such scenarios, but on some occasions, we see people who claim to be learned, participating in such beliefs.
Why must the woman shave her hair before people believe she is mourning, must she go into seclusion? Love is a matter of the heart, why should others manipulate and dictate how the woman should mourn a dead spouse?
If a man remarries immediately after losing a spouse in a normal cultural setting, it is believed that he is lonely and needs a mate, but if a woman remarries under similar circumstances, she is often perceived as a whore who killed her husband and is a disgrace.
Another notable case is that of infidelity, in some parts of Edo state and some other states in Nigeria, if a woman is caught having extra marital sex, the husband is not left to deal with the matter privately, instead she is made to dance naked around the market square for young men to feast their eyes on all her private parts without caution. Then we wonder why the men do not go through similar punishment.
Another point is if a loved one dies, the properties can easily be confiscated by the inlaws. I know of so many cases whereby the man died and his family is thrown into the streets to fend for themselves because it was the man who dies. If the woman accumulated the properties and died, the man on the other hand can claim everything with ease. Talk about equality.
In some parts of Nigeria, the female child is considered as persona non-grata because of their gender, It is believed that once she is married, she becomes another man's property.
Although some educated fellas are now changing that mindset and they now have a view that female children are also children too.
As a rite of passage into womanhood, some girls in some parts of Nigeria are made to go topless and dance before eligible bachelors, the king and other town's people.
Further more, the king can randomly point to any maiden he wishes and make her his wife without her opinion.
These are but a few instances of cultural imbalance caused and propagated by the "it's our culture" mentality.
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quite impressive piece of write up. culture is a way of life, it shaping and mode a set of people. it can be seen in character, believe, foods and ideology. its a respect for societal values.
Culture is total way of life of a group of people in a geographical area but here we are today; where's the unity in culture. Delapated and vanishing , i hope this piece can be broadcasted very fast and wild in order to restore our lost and fading culture.
@olanrewaju
I'm a Nigerian
It's extremely pleasant to find out about some different societies here on Steemit.
Super interesting facts! Thanks for sharing, @ehiboss!
up diversity, down racism
Truly happens in Philippines and it is so unfair..
It's high time we stopped most of these obnoxious cultural practices. It strips us completely of humanity.
Beautiful Post, well done @ehiboss
So true @ehiboss... Culture shapes and make people live and act in a certain way, even if its wrong. Sometimes the respect for certain cultural norms should not be overrated. Thanks for sharing this.
It's the man world here.
The fight for equality hasn't reached all corners, I pray it does.
The girl child deserves more
The woman everywhere is a more than a figure head.
As a feminist, there are a lot of things that needs a redress,girl child marriage, female clitoral mutility, etc
Together we can achieve this if we stand up with one voice
nice post
It is
It's really nice to learn about some other cultures here on Steemit.
I myself, am trying to keep my countrys' tradition alive by playing an old Crotian instrument and wearing Croatian "uniform" to big celebrations in the church.
Most of these cultural practices are gradually being made away with as more enlightenment and educated the people becomes.
I would like to note that the propensity of certain of the cultural imbalances mentioned in article, occurring has reduced greatly over time. That being said, these are the facts of life. There are the child brides common in the northern part of Nigeria, genital mutilation, which despite the world health organisation's efforts in eradicating is still being practiced in some parts of the country.
Yet for me, the issues that make such dangerous and unequal practices persist is the rights given to men in Nigeria.
When a woman seeks for a male child more than female that says something about our way of life.
When men have authority over women's finances, even if she is wealthier than he is, there's cause for concern.
When getting married to more than one wife without worrying about the cost of catering for the wives and children birthed, is not important, then something is wrong.
The men in most Nigerian communities are brought up with the idea that women are meant to be used. They see it in the subversion of their mothers and the I'll treatment of their sisters. They see their fathers trade their sisters in the name of marriage. These things stick in the psyche and so when the boy becomes a man, hitting is wife means nothing, raping his daughter means nothing.
I may have digressed from my submission, I apologize. I think though, that culture needs overhauling when it treats one half of the society less than the other. I think that Nigeria has beautiful parts to recommend her and in taking a critical look at areas which question our claim at democracy, we can enjoy that beauty which lies inside us and become a standard to other Countries and communities in the journey lf making this world a better place.
Thank you for the lovely post. Peace.
E ma je ki a gbagbe Asa ati Ede Wa [For my yorubaa folks]
Yea boss, together as a crowd we all can be wrong
As much there can be unity amidst people, there can be wrongdoing and wrong interpretations amidst us also
Super interesting. My favorite notion of culture is the anthropologist Clifford Geertz's. One of the aspects of culture that he identifies is common sense - or, that which is assumed to be correct by people within that culture. This varies widely across cultures!! Thanks for telling us about yours!
Culture is a way of life
Most especially in Nigeria, we value culture very much
Another in my part of the world is
If the father dies the forest son takes his name apart from the part where he has the surname already
@ehiboss I have a question
Is believe different from culture
From nollywood it feels like what they believe is their culture
Thanks Anticipating your reply
It's just a matter of time before most of these wrong practices go into extinction. It's almost or totally gone in some part and I believe in due time it will be eradicated in other parts too. All they need is enlightenment.
This is intresting boss. Thanks for educating me more about culture. And let us not use these "its our culture " and die in silence.. Thanks
Cultures differ in the degree of complexity whether they are focused around kinship or institutions and the pace of change.
This article is intresting 💯
Ehiboss, you are so right on all counts. But then, all these are more of the result of a general global prejudice against the female gender. Culture is just a host. But misogyny, in all respects, is the real parasite.
Thank you for this awareness.
I agree with you that there is a high level of cultural imbalance in our society, especially this part of the world. And the female folks are more on the receiving end. I believe more exposure to formal education can reduce all these acts of wickedness called cultural norms and moreover, change is the only constant thing in nature, it only takes time. God bless Africa, God bless Nigeria.
Thanks for sharing...
Its quiet easy for some of us who live in the cities to think that some of the practices highlighted above have stopped, but there are still some regions in Nigeria that still hold on to these primitive practices.
Amazing dear.Thanks for sharing it
Upvoted and resteemed done
culture determines our behavior, although we are part of one and our morals are developed based on this, if we go to another country we must adapt to their customs, I liked your post
This is nicely written and well articulated
Keep it up.
Do follow and upvote @oliverwilliams
Great info about culture, the one thing i love the most about diff cultures is their fooods