Taboos, Rules, and Customs

I have been learning about Dagbon culture, rules and taboos. I have learned a couple of dialogues to say to people about what I have learned. I tell them I have learned that men stay in rectangular houses/rooms and women stay in round ones. I say the jobs women have and the jobs the men have. I tell them a rule that says married men do not cook and women do not slap their husbands. When I say this, I tell them another sentence in Dagbani that says I cannot marry a Dagbon man because if my husband slaps me I will slap him back. They always laugh.As I have sat around with people, I have learned many more rules and taboos. I will not share all because they are many. Some are so interesting!--Children are not allowed to whistle at night. REASON- Thieves were known to whistle to a partner when they were about to attack a person.--You do not sweep your house at night. REASON- Maybe something sharp is in your rubbish pile and you do not see it and when you sweep it outside someone may step on it.--You do not put water on a hot pot so that the steam will rise. REASON- The spirits do not like it.--If children do not play in the dirt when they are small, they will have a short life.--If a child does not mingle with others, they are not a child. REASON- The importance of community.--You do not sing or talk while taking a shower. REASON- It will prevent you from choking if water gets in your mouth.--You do not talk while eating. There was a saying in Accra, “chop time, no friends”, meaning while eating you do not mind anyone, even your friends. REASON- It prevents choking.--When walking in the bush or in the forest-y places you do not call out someone’s name. REASON- You do not want the spirits to hear and call that person away.--Do not run into the house. REASON- There is usually a 2-4 inch wall or lip that you step over to go inside a house. If you are running, you can trip over it and fall.--If there is thunder and lightning, and you are in the bush walk off the path. REASON- The lightning will not follow you in the bush.--If there is thunder and lightning, cover all mirrors, silver cups, or silver items. REASON- The spirits use lightning to pass through things to people. Going back again to the taboo about women not slapping their husbands, I talked with a woman who told me that her husband slaps her when he gets angry. She went on to tell me other hurtful things he does. I did not know what to say, but what she told me is abuse. She shrugged her shoulders and the woman next to her just sat there as if we were talking about the weather. I…I have been rolling this around in my mind. I am so blessed to have been born in America, in a family where I was taught that I am equal to a man, where I am valued not because I can give birth but because I am a human being. Jesus loves this woman and all the women here that I sit with. I pray I can share the love that has been shown to me in Christ.Continue praying! Love you.