El Hadji, Rama, and convenient values

El Hadji is a Senegalese business man – already, in historical terms, this sounds almost oxymoronic because, for so long, the people of Senegal were oppressed and exploited by the French for economic gain. Xala, published in 1973, of course takes place in a “Post-colonial” Senegal, where El Hadji has two villas – one for each family – a Mercedes, and can afford to drink exclusively mineral water and where fine business suits on the daily. The reason “Post-colonial” is in quotes is because, as we discussed in class, the influence of the colonizer has not disappeared – it is still constantly present in everyday life – as exhibited by all of El Hadji’s bourgeois exorbitance. Despite all of these western luxuries El Hadji endulges in, he holds on to the very non-western tradition of Polygamy. The novel takes place as El Hadji takes a third wife, which is a little troubling to hear, growing up in a monogamous, American culture.

El Hadji’s eldest daughter, Rama, is depicted as being the true Senegalese patriot and the true revolutionary of the novel. For example, she refuses to speak French and instead uses Wolof, a native Senegalese language. She is much more effective in throwing off the shackles of her oppressor and in trying to return to her roots. However, one thing falls short and that is her attitude toward polygamy. She says to her mother early on, “‘I will never share my husband with another woman. I’d rather divorce him.'”(12). Which strikes me as odd, considering El Hadji was convinced to take his third wife N’Gone when Yay Bineta taunts him for being hesitant about the possibility of marriage. Her taunts include, “Was [El Hadji] a whiteman that he must consult his wives? Had the country lost its men of yesterday?”(9). This would imply that polygamy, as well as male dominance, is a tradition in Senegal – it’s even patriotic and separates the Senegalese people from the white colonizers. Why, then, does Rama, who is all about throwing off foreign influence, against this traditional practice?

Now, I’m not dumb. It’s clear that along with having nationalistic tendencies, she is also a feminist. But I find the fact that since El Hadji arbitrarily holds onto this tradition, and Rama choses not to hold onto it (for less arbitrary reasons, but it still hurts her credibility) to be troubling.