"Wings for the Butterfly" narrates a woman's journey of self-discovery after experiencing female genital mutilation (FGM). The author, a victim of this practice, shares her painful transformation from a happy life to one marked by trauma, and her quest for healing and identity amidst the ongoing issue of FGM in Africa.
The Kingdom of Watetu and Songaland is an autobiographical story about Mpeki, the princess of the Watetu tribe who realised early that FGM in her tribe was wrong and who sought out to bring about a change, a journey that caused her and her loved ones a lot of pain, because the Watetu tribe practised FGM while the neighbouring tribe, the Songa, appreciated sexuality. The differences that their cultures represented brought about a clash after the prince of Songaland assisted Princess Mpeki to run off after she hindered the mutilation of her sister. This started a rift between both tribes that resulted in the abduction of the prince of Songaland, and the princess's sister, whose mutilation the princess had hindered, was bought back by the missionaries. The prince of Songaland ended in Portugal as a slave, making his father furious - reason for a war that lasted for two decades. It was finally after the abolition of slavery worldwide that the prince of Songaland came back with Mpeki and the missionaries who had travelled with her to help her evade her own mutilation. Upon the arrival of the prince, his father ordered him to leave the princess, claiming that she was cursed. In fact, the princess was not cursed as all had thought. It was through her sacrifices that the two tribes reunited, becoming one under the prince and princess's rule in the new kingdom of Watetu and Songaland, a kingdom of peace, justice and harmony. The story ends with a bombastic marriage between the two tribes, the result of the eradication of FGM.
Exploring the aftermath of genital reconstructive surgery, the narrative delves into the author's unexpected struggles following the release of their first book. Transitioning from independence to a refugee home, the environment proves detrimental to their healing journey, exacerbating feelings of numbness and rage. Amidst this turmoil, connections with fellow residents reveal shared traumas and a universal quest for love, highlighting the complexities of healing and understanding oneself and others in the face of adversity.
Der Tag, an dem mein Leben neu begann
Als Mädchen wird sie verstümmelt und schweigt jahrelang. Doch als Erwachsene bekommt Ntailan Lolkoki die Chance, das Geschehene rückgängig zu machen - in diesem großen Memoir erzählt eine tapfere Frau offen über ihr Leid und die Erlösung durch Rückoperation und bricht damit ein Tabu: Die Massai Ntailan Lolkoki wächst in einem Dorf in der Nähe von Barsaloi im Norden Kenias auf. Mit zwölf wird sie nach den Traditionen ihres Stammes beschnitten und fühlt sich seither fremd in ihrem Körper. Als sie in Nairobi einen jungen Mann kennen lernt, folgt sie ihm nach Deutschland. Sie heiraten, die Ehe scheitert jedoch, denn Sex ist und bleibt für die genital-verstümmelte Frau ein Albtraum. Nach der Trennung flüchtet Ntailan sich in die Glitzerwelt der Reichen, doch in ihrem Herzen ist es dunkel. Sie fühlt sich wie eine Fremde in ihrem eigenen Körper, ohne Gefühl für sich selbst. Ängste und Depressionen verfolgen sie, bis sie durch Waris Dirie von der Möglichkeit einer Rückoperation für Opfer von Beschneidung (FGM) hört.