Hong Kong’s ‘protected women’: the forgotten females of city’s patriarchal 19th-century society

From South China Morning Post: 

Supported financially by wealthy Western men in exchange for long-term sexual relationships, the women, mostly from the Tanka ethnic minority, were integral to the city’s evolution.  Ng Akew was the most prominent among them, and what’s left of her former home in Central is threatened by development.

So who was Ng Akew??

Ng Akew (sometimes Ong Akew, Ong Mo Kew or Hung Mo Kew) was the de facto leader of Hong Kong’s “protected women”. Almost exclusively of Tanka descent (the Tanka are an ethnic minority in southern China), these young women were financially supported by male members of the Western elite and in turn provided a long-term sexual relation­ship to men who were thousands of miles from their homelands in Europe or America.

The women were not regarded as prostitutes or courtesans. Instead, protected by eminent merchants, they achieved an elevated, yet unofficial, social status, economic independence and local influence within a patriarchal and racist society.

The history of 19th-century Hong Kong is dominated by taipans, compradors, sea captains, colonial administrators and missionaries. It’s a story about Western males written by Western males, but the small site in Central, part of which was once the home of Ng Akew, connects us to her story and the important role protected women played in the development of Hong Kong.

read more here @ South China Morning Post

First All-Female Spacewalk Is Happening During Women's History Month

From The Things dot com: 

NASA has officially confirmed to CNN that the very first all-female spacewalk in history will take place at the International Space Station on March 29 during Women's History Month.

The team will be comprised of NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Christine Koch, who will carry out the spacewalk as part of Expedition 59. Their support on the ground in Houston, Texas, will be Kristen Facciol, a Canadian Space Agency flight controller.

In the official email statement to CNN, she continued, "It is the second in a series of three planned spacewalks. Anne also will join Nick Hague for the March 22 spacewalk. And, of course, assignments and schedules could always change."

It’s not just the astronauts and ground control who are women, either. Schierholz confirmed: "In addition to the two female spacewalkers, the Lead Flight Director is Mary Lawrence, and Jackie Kagey (also a woman), is the lead EVA (spacewalk) flight controller."

read more here @ The Things dot com

Restoration of Taramati, Premamati tombs no mean feat

From The New Indian Express:

Situated to the north west of Mausoleum of Muhammad Qutb Shah -- the founder of Hyderabad and patron of Charminar -- in the Qutb Shahi tombs complex at Golconda, stand a pair of tombs dedicated to two women, Premamati and Premamati . Legends have it that these two women were dancers and singers in the court of the Shahi king, Sultan Abdullah Qutb Shah. But make no mistake, they were no ordinary citizens of the era.

The gravestone of Premamati reads, “From all eternity Pemmati was a flower of Paradise”. These words are said to have been inscribed on Premamati’s tomb by Abdullah Qutb Shah himself, which use ‘Pemmati’ to refer to Premamati, instead of her original name. While Taramati is said to have commissioned a mosque built within the Golconda Fort.

However, today these tombs no longer serve to commemorate the incredible lives of these politically-empowered women of the Qutb dynasty. They stand hidden behind two inches of cement from the shoddy restoration works of the last century, or marred by graffitis in poor taste. And so they are now in the crosshairs of the second phase of conservation works being taken up by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC). The AKTC is carrying out the works in association with the State government which is motivated by the `70 lakh funds it received from the US government for the project.

read more here @ The New Indian Express

Is The Viking Birka Warrior A Woman? Judith Jesch Examines The Evidence

From History Extra: 

The remains of the 'Birka Warrior', originally unearthed in the 1880s, had been long presumed to be those of a male warrior…

In 2017, a research paper made waves by claiming that the remains of a supposed professional warrior found in a 10th-century grave in Birka, Sweden, could be female. The remains, originally unearthed in the 1880s, had been long presumed to be those of a male warrior, due to their burial with weapons and other status symbols. Judith Jesch, an expert in Vikings and Norse studies, offers comment on the recent reassessment of the remains…

read more here @ History Extra

read more by Judith Jesch:

• Women in the Viking Age
• The Viking Diaspora
• Viking Poetry of Love & War
• Ships & Men in the Late Viking Age

Four women poets who will take you on an alternative journey through Welsh history

From The Conversation:

Poetry has played an important role in the history of Wales. From the medieval courts, to the ongoing National Eisteddfod (the largest music and poetry festival in Europe), writers have used verse to document the land’s culture. But while male writers, such as the 12th century poets of the princes and more recently Dylan Thomas, have presented one perspective of Welsh history and culture, female poets have documented a very different take on Wales through the centuries. Here are four who bring a different perspective - Gwerful Mechain; Katherine Philips; Sarah Jane Rees; and Lynette Roberts.

read more here @ The Conversation

The Nigerian king who cursed the sex traffickers

From Mail & Guardian:

Edo State is Nigeria’s capital of human trafficking, and local authorities are seemingly powerless to protect vulnerable women and girls. Enter His Royal Majesty Oba Ewuare II, the ruler of the ancient Kingdom of Benin, who – like the traffickers – plays by a different set of rules.

Benin City, the state capital, is a global hub for the trafficking of women. Up to 10 000 are trafficked from Nigeria every year, usually to Europe, and nine out of 10 of these women are from Edo.

They are sent along the migrant trail — a dangerous route that has claimed the lives of thousands of migrants — usually along the Benin-Auchi road to Kano or Sokoto states in northern Nigeria, crossing over into Agadez in neighbouring Niger and on to Libya. From there, migrants take a rickety boat across the Mediterranean.

In March last year, in front of all his chiefs and the priests of Edo’s indigenous religions, he [His Royal Majesty Omo N’ Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo — better known as Oba Ewuare II] pronounced a royal curse on the heads of human traffickers and their support networks. “Whoever does it from today will face the wrath of our ancestors,” he said — and Edo State listened.

read more here @ Mail & Guardian

Archive shows medieval nun faked her own death to escape convent

From The Guardian:

A team of medieval historians working in the archives at the University of York has found evidence that a nun in the 14th century faked her own death and crafted a dummy “in the likeness of her body” in order to escape her convent and pursue – in the words of the archbishop of the time – “the way of carnal lust”.

A marginal note written in Latin and buried deep within one of the 16 heavy registers used by to record the business of the archbishops of York between 1304 and 1405 first alerted archivists to the adventures of the runaway nun. “To warn Joan of Leeds, lately nun of the house of St Clement by York, that she should return to her house,” runs the note written by archbishop William Melton and dated to 1318.

read more here @ The Guardian

Ancient Superstitions Pervade India as Modern ‘Witch Hunt’ Leaves Mother and Children Dead

From Ancient Origins:

A shocking story from India is showing that in some areas of the world old superstitions are still alive and leading to terrible crimes. The belief in witchcraft is still common in many areas of India and is leading to ‘witch hunts’ that result in torture and murder. In a recent incident a woman accused of being a witch was murdered, along with her four children.

Earlier this month the bodies of Mangri Munda and her children were found in a well near their home in Orissa in Eastern India, reports the BBC News . It is believed that a large crowd attacked the home of Mrs. Munda and killed her and her young family, including a 10-month infant. They were led by a man who claimed to be a ‘witchdoctor’ and the reason for the murders was that the mother was accused of being a sorceress, who was casting evil spells and that she and her children needed to be killed.

Police in Orrisa, have arrested six people, including the self-appointed ‘ witchdoctor.’ According to the MENAFN website, the local police “are hunting further suspects” since more people, than the six already in custody, participated in the gruesome murders. It is widely accepted that more needs to be done to end these murderous outbursts. Not even the imposition of the death penalty on those who have murdered alleged witches has stopped these barbaric hunts.

read more here @ Ancient Origins

Woman dies in 'menstruation hut'

From 9Honey:

A woman has died in Nepal after being banished to a "menstruation hut".

The cause of death is believed to be suffocation after the 21-year-old lit a fire to try and stay warm in the windowless space.

Parwati Bogati was found deceased when her mother-in-law went to check on her.

Women inside the huts have also been attacked, according to BBC reports.

In one case, a teenage girl was killed after being bitten by a snake during her time in a hut.

Just weeks ago, a mother and her two sons died in a menstruation hut, prompting officials in Bajura to give villagers 10 days to tear down menstrual huts or face legal action.

While the exact number of deaths from menstrual huts isn't known, a number of deaths have been directly related to their use.

read more here @ 9Honey