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Tales from the Hood: Menses on display


The Hood will definitely be the end of me mwe! So I was in the hood trying to locate Bana K when I saw some commotion across the road. In true hood style I saw a steady crowd growing as everyone shameless rushed to Bana Yuz house.

You may recall a few blogs ago I shared a story of the couple who lost their daughter and in grief the Husband threatened one of his in-laws saying he was going to report them to the dead child so that the child’s ghost could haunt him for disturbing him.

Anyways that’s the couple that was responsible for drawing the fast growing crowd. This  couple is one that is well known for stirring drama. Bashi Yu,  as he is fondly called is the hero of the women's gossip club where his wife is a member. He usually buy Chat beer for them to drink as they gossip but he usually snaps at the slightest irritation. Whenever this happens he takes it to the streets where he does a dress down of these women.

Today it appeared the person that made him loose his cool is his wife. I hurriedly went to join the nosey party making sure to poke my nose in the business of the day after all they had chosen to wash their dirty linen in public. As I pushed my way to the front for a good view and sound I wished in that instance that the ground would swallow me!

The sight that greeted me was that of Bashi Yu displaying his wife’s used sanitary towels for all to see. It didn’t seem to bother him that the majority of the people watching were young children. He went on and on about how lazy his wife was and how she was even failing to dispose her sanitary towels.

I quickly pushed my way back out of the spectators arena head down unsure whether what had embarrassed me was the sight of the towels or the unpalatable that accompanied the display. I remembered that a few days earlier it was menstrual hygiene day. For some reason I didn’t actively participate.  Bashi Yu’s actions left a bad taste in my mouth because, while there have been efforts to break the taboo around the subject his actions were meant to disrespect and embarrass his wife in the process I too felt embarrassed.

They say one must not interfere in marital issues and even though nothing stopped me I somehow I felt like this was beyond me. How can a man in his right frame of mind go to such an extent as to produce intimate property to the public as exhibit like that. 

When I looked back I saw a lot of elderly women looking on and whispering amongst themselves yet no one got up to chastise bashi Yu for his action and while Bana Yu stood idly by watching her husband rant I couldn’t help but walk back to set things right. Just as I was about to get to the crowd Kaba intercepted me and said we had an important matter to discuss….it was a distraction for me not to interfere I later realised.

My heart is not at peace. I feel I should have said something and told that man what he did was wrong I know that silence without dissent is consent and I know I didn’t approve of his actions. Today I saw the couple walking hand in hand going to the market looking really happy. I realise nkani ya chikwati ni cho vuta


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