Nankani Women’s Spirituality and Ecology

Abstract

Nankani women are not only thought to believe they are spiritual beings; they are also made to understand that they are structurally interwoven with their ecosystem. From the mythical and proverbial saying, ‘he who wilfully kills a woman has invoked upon himself a curse that he can never fully rectify,’ to the religio-cultural symbolic representations of the woman as a calabash (vegetation) and/or and earthen pot (sand/clay), Nankani women are socialized to accept and recognise their integral place and role in their society’s life and wellbeing. Thus strategically entangled with the family, clan and the community’s beliefs and practices; the women believe they are purposefully situated to play their multi-tasking roles just as a pregnant woman nurtures and sustains the life within her. This paper provides some insights into Nankani women’s spirituality and ecology.