2.3. Las relaciones de convivencia desde la perspectiva de los alumnos
3.1.4. Los medios de comunicación de masas y su incidencia en el
3.1.4.1. Los mass-media como agentes de socialización
and try to share it with them. If I get a profit from my business then I must share it with others. It is why I always have problems.
(The light fades. Theatre is dark again. After a 4 second pause, Jazirah enters the stage from back stage left. She is barefooted and makes as little sounds as possible as she walks slowly toward the front stage left corner. When she reaches the corner, a spotlight shines directly upon her. Salima remains unlit.)
JAZIRAH
In Africa there is the extended family. The little that I get I am obliged to share it with other relatives. So the money isn’t all for me.
(The light fades. Theatre is dark again. After a 4 second pause, the four other characters enter the stage. They are all barefoot and assume positions back stage left (Nadege), front stage left (Malika), back stage right (Kalimatu) and front stage right (Ahara). When they have assumed their positions on stage, 4 spotlights abruptly illuminate each of the women‟s faces.)
KALIMATU
A rich person is someone who can stay 1 or 2 months in his/her house without going
anywhere to get something, to get something to eat. So if he has a reserve, some stock of food in the family, which can feed them for one or two months, even for 15 days, this is a rich person. But if someone has to go daily to work for lunch and then work again for dinner, this person, this person is poor.
SALIMA
(There is no direct light on Salima. However, a silhouette of her can be seen, because of the
spotlights. Her voice is soft, to give the effect of an echo of what Kalimatu has just said)
A poor person is someone whose daily work, meaning they do something or go somewhere, just for eating.
MALIKA
Maybe the person can get food in the family, but maybe cannot pay for the school fees for his or her children to study. There is only one university in Mali and that is in Bamako. And even here we have some high schools and the parents must pay for it. If the parents can’t pay for the studies then they are poor.
NADEGE
The rich person is someone who has his own house, money, materials, and means of transportation. This person is rich. And someone who hasn’t got the material to work, who doesn’t have money to make a business, this person is poor.
AHARA
(Speaks slowly)
I don’t always have materials for working.
(The house lights come on and the spotlights turn off simultaneously. The stage is well lit and all women can be seen on stage.)
JAZIRAH
(Adds emphasis with her hands) The BIGGEST problem is the problem with food.
AHARA
(Speaks as she walks toward center stage. Stops when she is in the center of the stage)
Life is very expensive.
MALIKA
(Speaks with sadness in her voice) My family is poor. We always need help with our living.
(All characters, except Malika, slowly nod in agreement)
NADEGE
(Speaks as she walks toward center stage. She hold her hands turned upward and away from her body. She looks directly at the audience. She walks until she stands beside Ahara)
I have a lot of bills because I am sick and I cannot pay for the medicine. AHARA
My husband is sick. Before he was sick we had problems and now it is even worse.
KALIMATU My mother is sick.
SALIMA
(Speaks while walking toward center stage. She stops when she is beside Nadege)
I cannot pay for the school fees for my children and the other people in the family to study. MALIKA
(Speaks while walking toward center stage. She stops when she is beside Salima. Simultaneously, Jazirah walks toward center stage and stops when she is beside Malika)
I would like to study also.
AHARA
I look like a beggar, because I cannot resolve the problems that I have in the family. I am obliged to ask for things from other people.
KALIMATU
(Walks toward center stage while speaking. She stops beside Jazirah. At this point, all women are standing center stage in the formation of a circle with Ahara in the middle)
AHARA
(Spoken sullenly) I am worried.
(The other characters repeat the words I am worried one by one, counterclockwise beginning with Jazirah. They continue this until the lights fade completely.)
VOICES IN THE WIND
ACT II - Empowerment
(The house lights turn on. The stage is empty. A soundtrack of shouting and protesting plays on speakers off stage. The volume decreases. The women march onto the stage in single formation holding picket signs. Salima is at the front of the line and she leads the chant.)
SALIMA
No money, no strong! No money, no force!
OTHER WOMEN IN UNISON
No money, no strong! No money, no force!1
SALIMA
No money, no strong! No money, no force!
OTHER WOMEN IN UNISON
No money, no strong! No money, no force!
SALIMA
No money, no strong! No money, no force!
OTHER WOMEN IN UNISON
No money, no strong! No money, no force!
1 This is written in blue to signify that Salima had said these words in the group discussion, even though I have attributed these words to all of the female characters for the purpose of this play.
BOUBAKAR TOURE
(Remains offstage for the entire act. All of his lines are delivered via voiceover. He speaks as if
speaking through a megaphone)
This is Babakar Toure, the leader of your community council. You women do not give up. I have heard your protests for too long now, so please tell me what it is that you want.
WOMEN IN UNISON (Shouting)
Money! Money! Money!2
BOUBAKAR TOURE
Money? Money? You want money? We all want money! So why is it that you spend your whole day out here in the blistering heat to tell me and the rest of the world that you want money?
MALIKA When we get more money we will be stronger women.
BOUBAKAR TOURE
How will having money make you stronger women?
JAZIRAH
If you have money you are stronger in society, if you don’t have money then you must follow others.
AHARA
And if you have money, your husband likes you and so you have power and are strong. But if you are poor, they don’t consider you.
BOUBAKAR TOURE
Men are the chiefs of society. This is the traditional custom of our society. You know, we say that a man marries the woman, but a woman does not marry the man. 3
2 This is written in multicolor to signify that all of the women had said this word in the group discussion. 3
This is written in red to signify that Kalimatu had said these words in the group discussion, even though I have attributed these words to Boubakar Toure’s character for the purpose of this play.
SALIMA
Yes, the men are the chiefs. That is what our society says, so the men have more power in society. And women cannot be the chief of the family, that is also what our society says. But really the chief IS the woman in the family, because women are called to resolve all of the problems concerning the family.
BOUBAKAR TOURE
So you want to resolve all of your problems? Well, then you are right, money is all you need. When you get money, you will be stronger. Then all of your problems will go away. So instead of making noise outside of my office, go find a way to get some money so that you can get strong.
AHARA
[No, no, money is not the only thing. Money cannot solve everything.] Education can make women stronger too.
JAZIRAH
[Yes, yes, this is true.] Information and training can improve our daily activities.
KALIMATU
Education is very important, because if you have money, but don’t know how to reserve or master it then you may lose all your money. So education will let you know how to work with this money.
SALIMA
A woman cannot get to the same place as the husband in the family. Always in this society, the man is the chief. But she can help him. And if a woman has a lot of money or if she is
educated, her husband must respect her.
BOUBAKAR TOURE
So now it’s money AND education that you want? (In a sarcastic tone) Anything else?
NADEGE
If a woman has power then she is respected more. She can make more decisions in the family. JAZIRAH
If you have power in the family, then the husband must respect you. NADEGE
If you don’t have power you must follow, you are obliged to follow your husband. BOUBAKAR TOURE
So you want to make decisions in the family?
JAZIRAH
[Not only in the family, in the community also.] If you are the leader of a political party then you can get the best place in the society. (Jazirah says the next line in a snide manner). But this you already know, don’t you, Mr. Babakar Toure, our trusted community leader.
BOUBAKAR TOURE
But I still do not understand. Why do you want all of these things? I understand why you want