Culture is very interesting. It has done great and smaller things without fear of personality. There are cultures which demand more to be done by a woman and more by a man. In Uganda for example, women are said to be kneeling when serving their husbands food. That is great, but you will never experience it in Kenya.
When everybody in the same culture does the same thing irrespective of age and personality, it becomes adorable. Great people, rarely get trapped by the nets of culture. However, some places are different. Like in Africa.
A recent case is that of Malawian president Joyce Banda. She has been said to have the respect that culture demands of her. She is the only female president who has come out to be kneeling when addressing other presidents.
In a congregation of presidents, she happened to have met the former President of Tanzania Jekaya Kikwete and another president who remains unnamed. While addressing them, she knelt. That caught the world with a surprise. The presidency is a respectable seat. For her to kneel, it shows something different. She is humble.
It is a humbling moment to see her on her knees. That is an indication of being down-to-earth. She has accepted and appreciated her culture. That is a lesson to the many people who have never appreciated their cultures. These days, women have been rated as equal to men. Not bad but there are instances when people are required to have the differences.
In Kenya and long ago, women could not have a verbal exchange with their husbands. Today, they can even fight them. The problems started when women had been underrated and felt abused. The only way was to fight back and have an equality.
It is time we got back to some of our cultures. Not necessarily bowing or kneeling down but those that will show some distinction between men and women, head of family and neck of family.