Draft:Gender and Sexuality in Pre Colonial Africa

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History of gender and sexuality roles

Prior to colonization, same sex relations and gender fluidity were not only common, but celebrated and accepted in different African societies. 16th century Portuguese sources spoke of male homosexuality in the Kongo tribe. Other European travelers recorded men who refused to wear masculine clothes and behaved and were treated as women. Among the Bafia of Cameroon, homosexuality was considered part of sexual development and encouraged, described by German explorer Günther Tessmann. Those same sex relationships were encouraged to protect the sexuality of young girls. In the Basotho of Lesotho, same sex female relationships were a staple in the community. Records of homosexuality and gender variance were described as sinful and wrong by the travelers, who attempted to erase them from history. 1 Female homosexuality was still present, although more dangerous. Sexism and misogyny made female homosexuality more dangerous and more condemned. 6

Gender and sexuality in different areas

In Ancient Egypt, there were three genders, Men, Women, and Sekhet. 2 Ancient Egyptians also worshiped many gods and goddesses who did not fit into today’s binary understanding of gender and sex. The god/dess Shai, or Shait, was the god/dess of fate and was depicted as both male and female, even having been referred to with two different names to fit the given gender. Wadj-Wer was known as the “Great Green” deity and was depicted as a male with long hair and breasts for nurturing. Sometimes known as the “pregnant god”, Wadj-Wer had a belly representing pregnancy, and was therefore associated with fertility. 3 In Langi of northern Uganda, mudoko dako, or effeminate males, were treated as women and could marry men. Chibados or Quimbandas in Ndongo and parts of Angola were believed to carry female spirits that they would transfer to other males through anal sex. In central Africa, the term jinbandaa was used to describe males who were treated like submissive women. Same sex marriage was present in over 40 precolonial African societies. 4 The Dagaaba people, present day Ghana, did not have a gender binary like seen today, and instead of being assigned at birth, their gender was assigned by the energy the person has. Similarly, Igbo and Yoruba people waited until later in life to assign genders instead of assigning them at birth. 5 Among the Lugbara people, transgender individuals were usually connected to the spirit world. They were seen as having a dual existence, making it so they were better to serve as messengers between the human world and spirit world. Transgender women mediums are named okule (“like women”), and transgender men mediums are called agule (“like men”). 7

Notable queer historical figures

Khnumhotep and Niankhkhnum The 5th Dynasty tomb of Khnumhotep and Niankhkhum in Saqqara is a source of great debate, specifically about the nature of the two men sharing the tomb. The iconography within their tomb has many depictions of the men embracing, holding hands, and potentially kissing. Scholars supporting the view argue that such scenes are normally reserved for husband and wife in tombs. Many of these scenes have Khnumhotep taking the poses of traditional female roles, such as one scene where he is smelling a lotus. 8

Antonio “Vitoria” In the 16th century, records from the Portuguese Inquisition tell the story of an enslaved African named Antonio, who went by Vitoria. She was a sex worker and dressed and presented as a woman. She was often seen walking to Lisbon’s waterfront with a water vessel on her head, a common chore for women. The people around her gossiped about her sex, some insisting she was castrated, some insisting she was a man. In reality, Vitoria concealed her penis by tying a ribbon around it and taping it to her leg, a method which is used to this day by transgender women, known as tucking. When she was eventually arrested for sodomy, she insisted she was a woman. She insisted she had the anatomy to prove it, and that she was born that way and she knew others in Benin who were like her. She was subjected to a brutal medical examination that revealed male anatomy, and she was given a life sentence as an enslaved person for the king on the “sin of sodomy”. 7

Nzinga, the Ngola In 1624, as Portuguese colonists were going through the east coast of Africa, a woman named Nzinga took the throne of Ngola, now Angola. She was born in 1583 and was predicted for greatness. Born with her umbilical cord wrapped around her throat, she was named Nzinga, coming from the verb “to twist”. Her father, the Ngola (translatable to King) taught her to fight, and let her read. When her father died, and then her brother, she took over, taking the role of Ngola. She fought off invaders, defended the throne, and became a legend among her people. She dressed in full male attire and had a group of consorts. Despite all of her consorts being all male, she dressed them in female attire and referred to them as her wives. When she was around, her subjects fell to their knees and kissed the ground. She was treated by all as a king. 8



References

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