Nabya Haidara

Nabya Haidara was a political activist from Guinea, who was a key figure in the armed activity of the African Democratic Rally (RDA).

Biography

Haidara's date of birth is unknown, but it is acknowledged that her father was Lebanese and her mother Susu. Little is known about her early life, until she becomes prominent as one of the most daring of the RDA fighters, who were organised by Mafory Bangoura.[1] To begin with they guarded the neighbourhood of Sandervalia in Conakry where Sékou Touré lived.[2] They ran armed groups in the area from 1954 to 1958.[3]

Haidara had a particularly fierce reputation as she often fought with sabres engraved with her name.[1] When she was arrested, police found thirty sabres in her house.[4] Aissatou N'Diaye claimed that she saw Haidara jump in the air and grab the gun of a rival party member, who was about to shoot into the crowd, in order to disarm him.[4] The man was wounded and Haidara was sentenced to five months in prison.[4] On one occasion she was instrumental in getting released from prison.[5]

In her later life, Haidara went on hajj, which had a profound effect on her.[6] She felt she had to atone for the violence in her earlier life, according to an interview in 1991 with N’Diaye.[4]

Challenging gender norms

During Haidara's lifetime, she was referred to as a "man who had been given wrong sex".[4] There was also a rumour within the RDA that Haidara dressed as a man.[7] Many women in the RDA challenged gender roles, and it was a key part of their success.[8] It is also clear that during the RDA period, Haidara was seen by most people as adopting a traditionally masculine appearance and character.[6]

References

  1. ^ a b "Le rôle des femmes dans l'indépendance de la Guinée". NOFI. 2018-02-02. Retrieved 2020-02-29.
  2. ^ Women in African colonial histories. Geiger, Susan., Musisi, Nakanyike., Allman, Jean Marie. Bloomington. April 2002. p. 291. ISBN 0-253-10887-X. OCLC 50174773.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: others (link)
  3. ^ Keita, Sidiki Kobélé (1978). Le P.D.G., artisan de l'indépendance nationale en Guinée (1947-1958): La prise du pouvoir (1956-1958) (in French). I.N.R.D.G., Bibliothèque nationale.
  4. ^ a b c d e Women in African colonial histories. Geiger, Susan., Musisi, Nakanyike., Allman, Jean Marie. Bloomington. April 2002. p. 292. ISBN 0-253-10887-X. OCLC 50174773.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: others (link)
  5. ^ Steady, Filomina Chioma (2011). Women and leadership in West Africa : mothering the nation and humanizing the state (1st ed.). New York: Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 978-1-137-01039-1. OCLC 778698426.
  6. ^ a b Schmidt, Elizabeth, 1955- (2005). Mobilizing the masses : gender, ethnicity, and class in the nationalist movement in Guinea, 1939-1958. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. p. 142. ISBN 0-325-07031-8. OCLC 57283662.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  7. ^ Muriel, G. P. (2019). Femmes d'Afrique et émancipation.: Entre normes sociales contraignantes et nouveaux possibles: KARTHALA Editions. pp.90.
  8. ^ MacDonald, Mairi (2009). The Challenge of Guinean Independence (PDF).