Herstory – women at the centre of storytelling
By Louise Hemfrey
Imagine you had been told your life story wasn’t important. That it was your father’s, brother’s or husband’s story you should focus on. This is exactly what Womankind partner, LOOM Nepal, have been working to change.
LOOM have a long history of building intergenerational ties between women. Through their workshops, women of all ages come together to build campaigns against child marriage and period shaming (a practice known as Chhaupadi in Nepali) where girls are banished away from home for the duration of their monthly periods.
LOOM also noticed something else during these workshops: the power of storytelling. Each woman had a story to tell, and often women found solidarity through the similarity of their stories. However, they often found it difficult to identify themselves at the centre of their story, to express their thoughts and feelings, and to confront the effects of past experiences.
“I struggle to be recognised as a single woman with two young sons. This workshop is very important for me as I come from a society where voices of women are ignored. As a single woman, it is difficult for me to share my thoughts with the others as it is not counted.” – Bishnu, 44, participant
Jyotsna Maskay and her colleagues at LOOM saw this as an opportunity to try something new in their work. They developed a workshops series that would strengthen the feminist collective memory of Nepali women and recognise them as valuable, influential storytellers.
They also, most crucially, wanted to build the individual confidence and agency of the workshop participants, to strengthen their ability to be the lead in their own stories and lives.
Usha, 26, who had left school at 16 to be married, said, “I never had though that the life of ordinary women like mine will have the elements of a story. I was always hesitant to speak openly with others and hardly could share my opinions. As I analysed my life events and followed the guidance of [LOOM], I realised my life is full of many inspiring stories.”
The workshops also proved to have a crucial unexpected benefit of providing a safe space where women, particularly those from the LBTQI+ community, could confront past traumas and gain some closure to be able to move on with their lives.
“I chose this specific event as my narrative as I have faced multiple problems, and was not able to share the event to anyone. The workshop gave me the insights and safe space to share my feelings to other friends. Before I felt I was the only person who is facing all the troubles and challenges, but after listening to many friends, every individual has their own experiences, and story.” – Salina, 28, transgender rights activist
LOOM are keen to reach more women with these workshops, particularly in light of the recent pandemic in Nepal. They want to provide more women with the opportunity to reflect, connect and build a feminist consciousness for the battle to economic and social recovery when their lockdown is over.
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