Among African specificities although present in Burkina Faso, in addition to the patience and hospitality of the people, there are two which are very surprising for a Westerner.
The first concerns the central place played by the family, broadly defined. I have already told how the Burkinabe all live under one roof within an extended family. We must understand that the links between family members are very strong, and we can not survive here alone. There is a hierarchy clear within a family: the patriarch has absolute power, in return he is responsible for the livelihood of the entire family. Following him, everyone obeys without question any older person and the same sex. I was quite surprised as it comes from how Mahamadi, who is head of family as the eldest son of the patriarch died, RBI bluntly to his younger brothers, and how they run without flinching, even when they are teenagers! But when one of his sisters was hit by a car, it Mahamadi who handled everything from coaching hospital, the complaint to the police, etc..
The second tradition, which is proving quite shocking to a Westerner, is fairly related to the first and concerns the place of women. Here we consider (including younger men, and quite a few women) that men's role is to bring money home to support family and that of women is to maintain the house and care for children. Thus, women prepare meals for men (it is rare that they do so, except when they live alone, for example when students are), eat with friends, but they eat separately. Men give really feel like being served by women when they return from work. Unlikely to see a man with housework or child rearing! Two other small illustrations of the image of women in Africa: a woman smoking a cigarette is considered a prostitute, and it is customary for a woman to marry before 24 years (27 for men but those that I know must have reached the limit without being married, although they are a couple). Another figure: in the sixth grade of a member of ACP (teacher of history and geography), the school year started with 10 pregnancies. The girls had 12 to 14 years. Men here are still very reluctant to see women occupying positions of responsibility, and consider the case when they are abusing their power over men.
In terms of relationships, after considerable discussion with members of the ACP that I frequent daily (all male), it appears that marriage, or at least have a relationship "official" serves primarily to preserve harmonious family relationships described above. The flirting and infidelity are part of African culture ", as I said a member of the association. Polygamy is theoretically banned in Burkina Faso, but until one time she remained admitted for Muslims and animists (cf. Mahamadi's uncle and his three wives, whom I mentioned last time). Many men are still considering the present.
Finally, I leave everyone free to judge these practices as they wish. I do note here that these cultural differences, and I think it is difficult to have an objective opinion without understanding the full context.
soon.
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Response to Fabrice:
there are about 80 students per class, so logically forty girls (I do not think there is discrimination this level). If 10 were pregnant during the year, it's been a quarter of girls in the class! To abortion I do not know, but I do think that it is not practiced too expensive and for Catholics not consistent with what the Pope said. They will not all be dismissed, it depends if the father has or not. And if the father does not, there are also families comprehensive ...
But if the plan to open a training center for young unwed mothers wishes to heart Mahamadi and CPA is that the problem of rejection of these people are alive and well.
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