Lorelle Semley’s insightful examination of the historical and symbolic significance of motherhood (and fatherhood) in Ketu, a Yoruba town in the Republic of Benin, significantly enhances our understanding of gender and power dynamics in the Atlantic world.
This book delves into the realities and representations of “public motherhood,” a concept introduced by Nigerian literary scholar Chikwenye Ogunyemi, which posits that biological motherhood grants women access to specific forms of civic authority.
This analysis focuses on the evolving interpretations of motherhood as influenced by three major transformative processes: the Atlantic slave trade, French colonialism, and trans-Atlantic travel.
The title, “Mother Is Gold, Father Is Glass”, is derived from a well known Yoruba proverb. Previous scholars have interpreted “mother is gold” as a reflection of the intrinsic value of maternal love and sacrifice, while “father is glass” implies that a father’s love and authority are transient and conditional.
Semley explores women’s social value and power as arising from sources beyond biology, framing her analysis within a perspective of power that is precarious, evolving, and multidimensional.
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