1st Edition
African Women Legends and the Spirituality of Resistance
This volume focuses on African indigenous women legends and their potential to serve as midwives for gender empowerment and for contributing towards African feminist theories. It considers the intersection of gender and spirituality in subverting patriarchy, colonialism, anthropocentricism, and capitalism as well as elevating African women to the social space of speaking as empowered subjects with public influence. The chapters examine historical, cultural, and religious African women legends who became champions of liberation and their approach to social justice. The authors suggest that their stories of resistance hold great potential for building justice-loving Earth Communities. This book will be of interest to scholars of religion, gender studies, indigenous studies, African studies, African-indigenous knowledges, postcolonial studies, among others.
Foreword by Elias Kifon Bongmba
Part 1: Women-Centred Origins and Solidarity with Mother Earth
1 “ My Bones Shall Rise Again!” African Legendary Women and the Spirituality of Resistance
Musa W. Dube
2 “Powerhouse of Feminism”: Sitting with the Nine Daughters of Gīkūyū and Mūmbi at the Ecological and Gender Hearth
Mary Wanjiku Kihuha
3 Wangari Maathai’s Environmental Spirituality as Grounded in African Indigenous Community Wisdom
Fancy Cheronoh
Part 2: Rain Queens, Wife God and Priestess of Southern Africa
4 The Modjadji Rain-Queendom of South Africa: Women as Guardians of the Traditional Mantle
A Lefatshe Moagi and Mr. B. Mtombeni
5 Towards makewana eco-theology: Motherhood, wife god and rain priestess
Fulata Lusungu Moyo and Joyce Mlenga
6 Isangoma and Wosana the Rain Priestess: women as vehicles to the sustainability of African Indigenous Religions
Senzokuhle Doreen Setume
Part 3: Legendary Women and Political Rebellion
7 Kimpa Vita: Revolutionary Prophetess and Martyr of the Kongo Kingdom
Maleke Marthe Kondemo
8 Wallata Petros of Ethiopia: Wife, Mother and Freedom Fighter
Meklit Mitiku Mamunu
9 Mbuya Nehanda: Priestess and Freedom Fighter of Zimbabwe
Molly Manyonganise
10 Nwanyeruwa: leading the nigerian women's war of 1929
Martina I. Oguntoyinbo-atere
Part 4: Sister Kings, Regent Queens and Queen Mothers
11 Makhadzi: The Salient Venda Cornerstone of Indigenous Public Leadership
Yvonne Winfildah Takawira-Matwapa
12 The Indomitable Queen Labotsibeni of Eswatini: Where Gender and Religion Meet in a Patriarchal Space
Sonene Nyawo
Part 5: Founders of African Independent Churches
13 Lenshina Alice Mulenga: The Spirit of Resistance and Liberation
Dorothy Tembo
14 Mma Christinah Nku: Legendary spiritual woman
Linah Simimba Ndhlovu
15 Mai Chaza//Matenga: A Legendary African Woman Leader in Zimbabwean Spirituality
Amos Muyambo and Joseph Muyangata
Part 6: Legendary African Women Writers
16 “We should all be feminists”: A critical analysis of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s African feminist resources for gender activism in Africa
Pauline Mateveke
17 Redefining Liberating Motherhood in Leymah Gwobee's Mothering Leadership
Mairo Anthony
Biography
Musa W. Dube, the William Ragsdale Cannon Distinguished Professor of the New Testament, is a Humboldtian awardee (2011) and winner of the Gutenberg Teaching Award (2017). She is a biblical scholar based at Candler School of Theology, Emory University, USA. Dube is also Professor Extraordinaire in UNISA, Centre for Gender Studies.
Telesia K. Musili is a lecturer in the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies at the University of Nairobi, Kenya. She is a national coordinator of the Circle of Concerned African Women Theologians.
Sylvia Owusu-Ansah is Dean of the School of Theology at Perez University, Ghana. She is Vice-President of the Missiological Society of Ghana based at Trinity Theological Seminary and Head Pastor of Revival Temple, Perez Chapel International La.
