Description

The events of the annual maiden dance are about the initiation of girls from childhood to marriage and cover the period of five months, August to December, of each year when yams, the king-crop, are harvested. The maiden dance, girl-child, culture-focused activity, weaves a social net that draws other segments of the Zim and surrounding communities. The Maiden Dance is thus an examination and critique of the various traditions of the village of Zim and surrounding communities that mark the important transitional stages in the lives of girls. Modernity becomes an eye opener for several Zim youths who see certain traditions as obsolete and infringing on human rights. Achieving change in the face of opposition becomes vital to societal transformation, limiting of patriarchal oppression, and eradication of outdated traditions. The novel also portrays patriarchal issues, societal values of masculinity, and the subordinate position of the African woman.