THE VOW
“It’s so easy for them nowadays; they do it in less than ten minutes.”
“What are you talking about;” Amira asks grandma who is sited on the bench outside the maternity ward.
Amira’s mother had just given birth to her younger sister.
“Grandma, why are you not happy?” she asks
“I am my daughter, I am happy for this generation, this liberal generation. “Grandma says moving closer to Amira. They hug tightly and go into the ward where Amira’s mother is.
“She will be called Wacan, says grandma. Amira looks at her mum to confirm her dislike for the name. “Mummy, it’s not modern, call her Zahya not Wacan, how will her friends pronounce it?”
Idil, her mum smiles. She can now afford a smile and tries to sit.
“Do not force yourself Idil.” Grandma says holding Idil’s hand
“It’s okay mummy, it does not hurt like it did during your times.” She says tightening her grip
“What times do you keep taking about with grandma?
………………………
Grandma is preparing an oil concoction for the baby when Amira knocks at her door.
“Come in Amira, why are you still up?”
“Please tell me about those times, I want to know”
Grandma sits on her bed and welcomes Amira to join her; she holds her hand and begins
“My dear, you are lucky to be born in this generation. When I was 9 years old, myself and my friends had to go through Female genital mutilation. I know you have never heard about this,
“No, I have not, “Amira answered looking very curious
“Back in my times, they would cut off our clitoris, that is a part of your private part to…
“Wait, what do you mean grandma?” Amira shouted
“Yes, my dear, they said if we had the clitoris, we would be promiscuous and so all of us girls had them chopped off. Some of the girls had their parts almost sealed.”
“And mummy? Did she go through it too?” Amira asked looking scared
“No, I made sure she did not.”
“How? Why did you not save yourself too?”
“I wish there was someone to save me then. At the age of 16 I begun campaigns in my village to fight against FGM. It was not easy to break the shackles of culture. I made a vow, never to cut my generation.
Today you are that generation!”