> In message <Pine.GSO.4.63.0704071425200.3759_at_9nDQbMALaIdRARCNpFS4hWH2XU-kRMc1MLKZrSrIzwbSipYxNZtyrhjh6FYDKMEyVDjh1AV60ewsy3iKsNSBU3axqIxF-bM3KY9ZE07ieQGKK0kUHLbbWfOCHJR-1B98.yahoo.invalid> Michael Hitchens writes:
>> On Sat, 7 Apr 2007, donald_at_TQYTqjrhowA0V4uRaJhiErL90qYYi3OkK3hQXmY8E9EmawMmXWiK_XsQInSonbaLeO7feSCiUIiNgvfFFaw.yahoo.invalid wrote:
>>
>> I can see it for a warrior - real slows you down in combat. But lots
>> of pregnant women in the real world work in the fields, so why the
>> prohibition?
>
> It's not a matter of working in the fields but working in the
> fields *as a man*. There are jobs in farming, particularly
> without modern tools and equipment, which require a lot of
> strength and weight - ploughing is one. And others put strain
> on the stomach muscles - not something to do when pregnant.
Fair enough, but I'm not sure that pregnant women are that incpable and ploughing is only a fraction to the working year. - a warrior on the other have must be prepared to fight all the time. So possible, but I'm not 100% convinced.
> I'm quite sure many Heortling women often work in the fields
> without being members of Vinga. At harvest time everyone in
> the clan will be there except those who can't walk. Mothers
> will have toddlers gleaning. Young girls will vie for the
> opportunity to take water to the reapers. Bundling the grain
> and loading the carts will be cottars who haven't got a scythe
> and women. The rest of the year there are plenty of jobs which
> will be carried on by men or women depending on who is available.
> The Vingan farmer is going to be more like Rosie the Riveter than
> a typical woman.
Oh yes, heavy physical labour tends to put on the muscles. But what's a "typical woman" anyway? Have a look at photos of the people in non-high tech rural cultures (say parts of Russia, Mongolia, Tibet) - neither gender are exactly cat walk material.
> The other aspect is that this is a cultural issue. The best way
> of explaining it is something which is very much "my Heortling"
> although anyone who likes the idea is welcome to use it. That is
> that Heortling society has a taboo against bringing death near
> an unborn child. The law against a Humatki sharing a hearth with
> a pregnant woman is one example but it goes further. Harvesting
> the grain means killing it and the grain is Esrola who is
> Ernalda's sister. Given that a woman may be pregnant without
> knowing it cutting the grain is men's work as is slaughtering
> livestock. Granted a grandmother might well wring a chicken's
> neck but by that age they are unlikely to have strength to
> kill a larger animal or wield a scythe all day even if they
> had the skill.
Hmmm. That's a more intersting one. But do the Heortlings regard harvesting as killing? Can't remember seeing anything to that effect, but doesn't mean it isn;t there. Still, even if it's not a it's a viable thought.
> Now your Sartar may have different cultural reasons for the
> same or similar restrictions but I'm very much of the view
> that it's more fun to explore and explain them than dismiss
> them.
Agreed.
Michael
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