Review: Women, Water and Memory by Nefissa Naguib
Title: Women, Water and Memory: Recasting Lives in Palestine
Author: Naguib, Nefissa
Length: 176 pages
Genre: Non-Fiction, Women, Culture
Publisher / Year: American University in Cairo Press / 2009
Source: Borrowed from Carina, who bought it while we were on vacation in Egypt.
Rating: 5/5
Why I Read It: I was out of reading material, so of course started working through Carina‘s. Plus it sounded really interesting.
Date Read: 02/04/12
What does water mean to our lives? It’s hard to imagine any part of our lives without water, although we may never consciously think about it. Naguib, and anthropologist, spent much time in a small West Bank village she names Musharafah beginning in the 1990s. During her time in the village, she talked with the women, interviewing them and following them through their lives, discussing water and memory and the importance of water to them.
What Naguib finds is that water, to these women, meant not only chores of collecting water from the wells but also meant and made up a large part of their ‘adat and taqalid (customs and traditions). The introduction of piped water, to these women, completely changed their lives but not always in a good way. While it cut down their chores, it also changed the layout of the village, the importance of relatives living away to remit monies home, and the ways in which women lived their lives. Previously, they could have more control over their lives and activities, having more freedom to move around and take breaks that can now be more easily denied.
In this book Naguib makes a point to let the women tell their own stories. She discusses the importance of giving people their own voice to tell their stories so as not to ‘other’ them, and she includes in the book a number of sections by different women. Through these sections the women share their memories of the water in their village, and by doing so they share the history and culture of their small communities, as well as their joys and hardships. Through the stories we get an image of life in the community through the years, including the Intifada and occupation. We see a history of Palestine along with a history of a village through the eyes of the women who live it.
A really interesting read that examines a basic necessity of life in such a way as to capture all aspects of village life and tradition through the eyes of the women who live it. It gives a history that won’t be easily found in the standard narratives or textbooks, especially as it points out the flaws of the ‘modern’ piped water that most other accounts will name only a full success. If you like reading about real life and the complexities of it, do give this book a read.
I wouldn’t have imagined that what I view as an improvement would have such an impact on the women’s lives . I remember a geography teacher at university telling a story of the British wanting to do a land ownership survey in either kenya or Zimbabwai. They had the farmers plant a shrub along the edges of their fields, these would show in an aeiral survey. The shrubs grew well and they were keeping the animals out of the kitchen gardens. now the little children were no longer needed to keep the animals at bay. The families were now able to send the children to school yet there weren’t enough schools, etc. Small change, wide ranging impacts.
No it’s interesting when you really think through all the various implications isn’t it Heather? That’s a really interesting story about the survey too! So cool!
I had never thought of these things before, or how piped in water would naturally change a woman’s role in the village. It sounds as if this is one of those books that would be eye-opening on several levels, and that it would shed a great dose of light on the realities of modern work in rural villages. Great review today, Amy!
Definitely a really interesting and informative read zibilee. I really enjoyed it.
On to TBR list! Water is such a big issue; in refugee camps, women & girls are incredibly vulnerable if they have to go get water (and firewood).
I think you’d really like it Eva! I really hope you can find a copy
It really only focuses on that village rather than refugee camps and other situations as well, but really interesting.
You read such interesting books! I can’t imagine what it is like without clean water, it will be good to hear from the women of Palestine.
Thank you JoV, this time it was all thanks to Carina though!
This sounds fantastic, Amy. Thanks for sharing!
You are welcome Emily!
This book sounds amazing…my tbr pile is rapidly growing after reading a bunch of your reviews. Great blog, thanks!!!
Thank you so much Jennifer! I’m glad you are finding some interesting sounding ones
A fine review, Amy. Indeed, water is precious everywhere but I think more so in Africa and other deprived parts of the world. Thanks for sharing.
You are most welcome readinpleasure. Water really plays a large part in our lives.
Excellent review of an intriguing book, as you so often give us.
You’d like the discussion of why and how we need to value marginal women’s voices in Reading across Borders: Storytelling and the Knowledge of Resistance, by Shari Stone-Mediatore. Feminist standpoint theory.
Thank you so much mdbrady, I’m glad you enjoyed. I really want to read that one as well, it is on my wish list!
Sound like something exactly up my alley. I never really thought who pipped water could have a less than positive effect on women’s lives. I work for an organisation that’s helping rural communities in developing countries have access to electricity and feel that lots of the changes relating to water could also apply to light.
Oh wow, that is really relevant for sure Alex! It is a very readable and interesting book, and I think you’d really enjoy it. Really makes you think of the ways that the changes have impacts that can hurt as well – such as the reliance now on cash economies to get by.
This sounds fascinating. I never considered the complex ramifications of modern water systems on women’s roles in their cultures. I am adding this to my TBR list.
I hope you can find a copy and that you enjoy it as much as I did Stephanie!