#IWD2020 #EachforEqual
International Women’s Day (IWD) is here and this year’s theme is “an equal world is an enabled world” #EachforEqual.
IWD is a special day set aside to celebrate the; social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women globally. This year I want to celebrate my grandmothers and my great-grandmothers. They may not have made it to history books but they walked so I could run.
Cucu- Sophia Wangu
My Cucu, which means grandmother. She is my maternal grandmother. The best words I can pick to describe her are; funny, loving, resilient, and hardworking.
Before my grandmother's baptism, she did not have an English name. Her daughters helped pick her name, Sophia. I sometimes think they got this name from Sophia of Golden Girls TV Show but they didn’t have the privilege of owning a TV. Being an avid watcher of The Golden Girls, I see some similarities between my grandmother and Sophia such as their sense of wit and humour.
Cucu was very smart but she did not finish school. Her parents believed that girls were not to be educated and she had to drop out in class four.
My greatest memory of Cucu was during my time at university. My mum was short on school fees and Cucu found out and she offered to sell her cow to help with that semester’s fees. Now, Cucu loves her cows probably just as much as she loves her children and she was offering to sell her prized possession for me to not miss out on school- she did not sell her cow but she did contribute to my fees that term. On top of that, she always encouraged me to work hard in school. She did not make it to my graduation day because of limited invitation cards but she got to see me in the gown — I was the first grandchild from her lineage who she got to see in her graduation gown.
Cucu is the embodiment of a strong woman she did what she had to do to survive and provide for her family despite all the odds she faced. I sometimes think that her strength broke her once my grandfather died. She was left alone by her companion and as the years passed after my grandpa’s death, her memory started deteriorating now she no longer remembers us but her humour and laughter are still intact.
Cucu — Rachel Wanjiru
I also refer to her as Cucu, She is the woman I am named after, in my culture the firstborn daughter is named after her father’s mother. The best words I can use to describe her are loving and thoughtful.
Cucu was a midwife, which was a big deal. After her late husband’s death, Cucu was left to raise her four sons on her own as she also went to work in the local hospital. She bought her land and built her stone house, which was a big deal during that period.
Cucu speaks relatively good English because of her job background and she became my first and only Pen Pal. She would write me letters to tell me how she was doing and to check up on me…And of course, I responded. Looking back, this was super cool — because whose Cucu writes them letters? As the years progressed the letters stopped coming and mobile phones happened.
I was estranged from my father's side of the family. Therefore, when I look back, cucu writing me letters and showing up for many of my important days showed me how keen she was on building our relationship. I treasure this the most.
Cucu also played a crucial part in my university education, as she would also contribute to my fees. Getting a degree was a big deal for her.
My mum adds that when I was a baby, there was once I cried uncontrollably and I could not stop and Cucu made me a peace offering of her calf — I stopped crying.
Maitu — Great-Grandmother Grace Wambaire
Maitu in Kikuyu means great-grandmother. Great-grandmother Wambaire was my grandmother’s mother. According to my mum and auntie, she was a very humble, kind, and loving woman. I never got to see her because she had already passed away.
Great Grandmother Wambaire was extremely selfless and the earnings she would get from farming went to supporting her grandchild. My mother shared that Maitu would not allow them to be sent away from school and even bought stationery. The apple did not fall too far from the tree because Cucu Sophia is just as kindhearted and keen on girls finishing school.
Great Grandmother Gathoni
Great-grandmother Gathoni was my late grandfather’s mother. According to my mum and auntie, I met her before she died, but to be honest I have zero memory of meeting her because I was very young.
Now, my late great-grandmother, Gathoni was a force to be reckoned with, the stories that my mum and auntie have painted are of a woman who did not take any nonsense — a badass! As a young lady, Great-grandmother Gathoni worked in colonial farms until she met my great-grandfather. Funny story about their union, my great-grandfather was to marry her sister but she died and he ended up with great-grandmother Gathoni.
According to my auntie, Great-grandmother Gathoni was an extremely hardworking and clean woman. She weaved baskets made from banana leaves and cut the hair of the women who lived around her homestead. She was also a musician and had a song “ Mwari Wa Kagoiya” that was never officially released, she only sang it when the women came to her home for their hair to be shaved. The song was officially released by Joseph Kamaru, of course with zero credits to my great-grandmother because he probably does not know where the song originated from.
Here is to these great women who have not only inspired me but have broken down gender barriers for me to finish school and be the woman that I am. I would not be without them.
Happy International Women’s Day!
A special thank you to my mom and aunt, my primary sources for their stories. :-)
