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FEATURE
Gender roles have
been challenged from
very early on in Africa.
of Washington D.C in the United earlier that year. She directed the erected in her honour still stands.
States. Kingdom with an iron hand and
represented a real threat and Gender roles have been
Queen Ndate Yalla Mbodj source of problems for the French challenged from very early on in
Another persevering female settlers who resisted. Africa. A woman’s place was as
protagonist in history, Queen much on the field of battle, as it
Ndate Yalla Mbodj was the She was a heroine of the was in a home. These women
last great queen of the Waalo, resistance against French amongst many others like Nnadi,
a kingdom in the northwest colonisation and Moors invasion. warrior mother of Shaka Zulu, Idia,
of modern-day Senegal and Queen Ndate Yalla Mbodj, Queen of Benin, Mbande Zinga
Gambia. Queen Ndate was born along with several other African and a host of others, created
in Dagana in 1810 to a wealthy heroines played a crucial role in an opportunity for women to
family Tédiek. Educated in war, the struggle for African liberation. dismantle the patriarchy today
Ndate and her sister would go on Oral historians (also known as and stand for what they believed
to lead the kingdom. griots) have immortalised her in. Their contributions to the
bravery, as she remains a symbol liberation of Modern day Africa,
She was officially crowned of female empowerment. During like their beauty, poise, wit and
in October 1846 in Ndar, the her life and afterwards, Mbodj strategic wisdom is something we
capital of Waalo kingdom. She was a symbol of resistance will have in history forever.
succeeded her sister, Queen against French colonialism. She
Ndjeumbeut Mbodj who died died in Dagana, where a statue
38 | The Lion King | Jan - Mar 2021
