African Women in Cameroon

Posted by Lori Henry Aug 8, 2007

I just finished reading a wonderful book, Mango Elephants in the Sun: How Life in An African Village Let Me Be in My Skin. My favorite chapter had to be the one called “FAT.”

The Peace Corps volunteer grew up in America and was shocked to find that African women in the northern Cameroon village she was teaching English in, had a very different opinion on what constitutes a beautiful woman.

To them, a “fat” woman is considered beautiful, as it means her husband is taking care of her well. When the local Doctor calls the major’s wife fat, the author thinks he’ll be kicked out. Instead, the wife giggles flirtatiously.

Her African friends explain that the husband shows how much he loves his wife by feeding her well. They ask her why any woman would want to be skinny and look like a boy. Without hips, plump breasts and a belly, men don’t think she’ll be able to bear children well, which is unattractive.

If a woman is married and still skinny, villagers assume that she’s unhappy. If her husband isn’t working hard to feed her, then it must mean he’s going elsewhere to make some other woman fat.

When neighbors run into each other on the streets, they say, “Jam bah doo nah?” which means “Are you in your skin?” or “Is your soul in your body?” If it is, you reply, “Jam core doo may!” meaning, “I am in my skin!” What a lovely way to check in.

I can only wonder as American TV infiltrates into countries around the world, how will that affect the body image of cultures who don’t hold up ultra thin woman as ideals?