Impact of a Cash Economy on Complementary Gender Relations among the Sadāma of Ethiopia

This article describes gender relations among the Cushitic-speaking Sadama of the highlands at the edge of the rift Valley in Ethiopia. The social system is egalitarian densely populated and with a complementary gender division of labor. Agricultural production is based on the false banana tree cultivation (ensete cultivation) which requires 3-6 years for maturity and intensive manuring and cultivation. The yield provides a higher caloric content per land unit and is more drought resistant than other grains. Husbands control the land and animals and cash crop production. Wives collect cattle dung fertilize the plants help their husbands with the harvest and process ensete into food. Marriages are arranged between clans and clan clusters. An elaborate generational class system links clans and provides promotion to elderhood status. Beliefs are indigenous. The Furra legend is given as the ideological basis for gender complementarity between symbol and practice. Roles are socialized in childhood and reinforced throughout life. Circumcision and then seclusion before the marriage is practiced. Men prefer obedient wives who have good household skills. Brideswealth is exchanged. Before World War II the unit of exchange was coffee berries but after the war currency was introduced. Men control all cash transactions in the market place. Coffee production expanded in order to increase wealth. Women have limited access to cash and stealing coffee from their husbands gardens provides an opportunity for obtaining cash. Women have become concerned about an improved standard of living. Educated women are not as accepting of obedient roles. Womens groups have formed but usually as appendages to mens organizations. The new hopes of women are for greater authority and power and strategies are both active and passive resistance. Tension arises from the necessity of preserving the old and the advantages of adopting a new but socially destabilizing system. Women gain some measure of autonomy by having children and developing special skills in the production of food men admire and need. Men have control of land and coffee production and thereby of cash but the gender roles have been complimentary.