MEN AND WOMEN' S ROLES

Mma Ramotswe does not want Africa to change, to become thoroughly modern: "She did not want her people to become like everybody else, soulless, selfish, forgetful of what it means to be an African, or, worse still, ashamed of Africa" [p. 215]. But what aspects of traditional African culture trouble her? How does she regard the traditional African attitude toward women, marriage, family duty, and witchcraft? Is there a contradiction in her relationship to "old" Africa?
Bogwera (boys' initiation)
When young boys reached puberty they were sent to bogwera (initiation school for boys) which marked the passage from boyhood to manhood. In order to become a 'man' and be accorded all the respect and privileges in the affairs of the tribe, including marriage, every boy was expected to undergo these rites of passage which involved toughening-up, lessons on morality, respect for other people, and responsibility to one's society. Every cohort of initiates would be given a permanent name upon graduation, and every member would proudly identify himself with this name.
Bojale (girls' initiation)
When young girls reached puberty, they were sent to bojale (initiation school for girls) which, like the boys' bogwera, marked passage from childhood to womanhood. Girls of the same peer group were led by the chief's daughter, of their age group, or another member from the chief's relatives.
As in the case of boys, the young girls were taught the tribe's values, customs, responsibilities and obligations of adulthood, and how to relate to persons of the opposite sex. In most cases, the ceremony would start around the same period as that of the boys.
Once the girls had gone through the ceremonies, they were regarded as women and were thus ready for marriage. The peer group who graduated from the same ceremony would constitute a regiment which could be called upon to perform important communal projects from time to time.
Wife and Husband

In the traditional set-up, the husband was regarded as the undisputed head of the family. However, attitudes have changed and currently a couple's relationship is based on equality.
With more and more women currently on formal employment, the traditional understanding of the husband as the sole breadwinner and the woman as the house-keeper, is undergoing transformation. It is, however, still expected that the man should bear the major responsibility for earning the family its livelihood.
Like in all other societies, there is still a clear division of responsibilities within the family unit. The latter is particularly evident in rural communities that subsist on livestock and arable farming.

Mma Ramotswe is seen as modern as women´society roles are changing. She has set up her own business in Botswana, only by herself. She runs the Number one Ladies´Detective Agency.

Nowadays, she is still been treated as a woman by some men who always remind it to her. For example, when Mma Ramotswe decides to start a detective agency, a lawyer tells her "It's easy to lose money in business, especially when you don't know anything about what you're doing...And anyway, can women be detectives?" To which Mma Ramotswe answers, "Women are the ones who know what's going on. They are the ones with eyes. In this scene, women in general and Mma Ramotswe in particular, are treated as if they were not able to run a business because of their women condition. At the nearly end of the book, Mma Ramotswe is trying to pass the border to come into Mafikeng, but the official asked her what her occupation was, because he couldn´t believe a woman could bera private detective. Private detective was the occupation that lays on her passport. On other ocassion, a man asks Mma Ramotswe if she will be able to sort out the case, just by puting her reputation under suspicion because she is a woman. For that kind of men women are weak people and their only job seems to be housewives.

Marriage

Marriage in today's Botswana reflects the changes traditional society has undergone. Most wedding ceremonies are a compromise between tradition and the requirements of a changing society.

In the traditional set-up, which is still observed by most families, once a young man has identified a girl to marry, he would inform his parents, who, in this instance, may not necessarily be his biological parents. He may choose to inform his eldest maternal uncle who has a traditionally recognised parental role. It is no longer common for parents to select a girl for their son to marry although relatives may discreetly encourage or discourage one from marrying from a particular family or a particular tribe. On the whole, most marriages are currently the outcome of decisions by couples themselves. Arranged marriages have fallen out of practice.

This practice is shown in the book by the secret relationship between a young girl whose father contrat Mma Ramotswe for following her daughter in order to find out who she is going out with, just because her father doesn´t want her to meet any men she is not allowed to under her parents permission.

Irene María Álvarez Martín and Vanesa Regueiro Molina