NATIONAL WOMAN’S DAY 
NORA’S SISTERS: RE-THINKING THE IMAGE OF WOMEN

With funding from the Norwegian Embassy, Nanzikambe Arts organized a National Woman’s Day with an aim of providing an opportunity for people to meaningfully discuss gender issues, raise awareness and inspire those people with an influential public voice to re-conceive the image of women, on the 13th of October 2007 at Comesa Hall in Blantyre.

The concept behind the event was an adaptation of renowned Norwegian writer Henrik Ibsen’s play A dolls House which explored the unequal status of women and how they are suppressed by the rigid gender roles defined by the conventions of marriage and society in general.

The Event attracted members of the academia, Musicians, Human rights and gender activists, politicians, writers, chiefs, lawyers, dramatists, members of the press and artists. Included were also college and university students, teachers, Malawians from all walks of life and people from overseas. There were about eight hundred people.

During the discussions people were horrified at how women in Malawi have been all along been represented in the arts. In her opening remarks Justice Anastazia Msosa who through her achievements is a testimony that there is much more to a woman than working in a kitchen bemoaned how the Malawian society views a woman,

‘Women’s achievements and contributions have not been fairly recognized. The status of women is pathetic and their roles undermined’

In concurrence, Professor Uledi Kamanga, while presenting his thorough researched paper pointed out,

        Among any traditional stories, the sins of male characters are
        Easily understood and forgiven by society as normal 
        Human errors, whereas a woman’s error is seldom forgiven
        And often damned as immoral or a witch.

The same was seen to be true in music as well. Several songs were cited during the discussions that belittle women. Some musicians who were present were ashamed of their own songs. This prompted some musicians to confess that they viewed their songs as befitting women but after the event they saw that they had been wrong and would change their composition in future songs. After being cited, one popular musician, Ben Mankhamba denied belittling women in his songs

My songs have been misunderstood. I intend to advise.
In fact Several of my songs talk good of women.

Writers were also shocked at how they represent women in their stories, A thing which they do unconsciously. This they said has been happening because people have made the oppression of women as normal daily life but the event made them become aware that indeed women have been suffering in silence for long.

Through out the event, there were interludes of speeches from dignitaries from the Norwegian Embassy, pastors, and both local and international writers. The Day was capitalized by a masterpiece production by Nanzikambe Arts titled Anambewe all of which drove home the essence of the gathering: exposing ways in which women are misrepresented in the arts, media, popular and traditional culture. Coupled with the leaflets that were distributed to everyone at the entrance of the hall, the play also answered the question that lingered in most people’s minds that day- who is Nora and what makes me Nora’s sister: A woman who is oppressed, gets fed up with being treated like a door mat and finally gets her liberation through a conscious choice. Nora is a lead character in Ibsen’s Dolls House

Chauvinists who believe that men are more important and intelligent than women might have been stripped of their misconception as they watched women display the power of femininity- Nation on Sunday 28, October, 2007.

At the end of it all, the battle to liberate women though attainable proved to be an uphill task as participants left with mixed reactions. Some thought, it was a war against men while many applauded Nanzikambe for what they called a right move towards the continuation of a fight for the liberation of women.