ABSTRACT
The story of Fauziya Kassindja, introduced in the first chapter, says a lot about the problem of credibility. In her book, Do They Hear You When You Cry?, she describes her life in Togo and her escape to the US via Germany (1998). Fauziya was very close to both her parents, who were unusual people in a number of ways. They were both of mixed tribal origin, he Koussountu and Tchamba, she Fulani and Dendi. Theirs was a love match (though the marriage was officially arranged by Fauziya’s mother’s parents at their daughter’s request, itself atypical). Usually marriages were arranged without consulting the woman. Fauziya’s parents were both devout Muslims and, under Muslim law, he could have taken up to four wives. He chose not to. He also decided that the widespread practice of “kakia” (female genital mutilation – FGM) was unacceptable. When he was young, he apparently saw it done to his sister, and asked why it was done. “ ‘It’s tradition. That’s what our ancestors did. That’s what we do.’ Which wasn’t a good enough reason for him” (1998: 23).
