Proverbs and Gender: The Interface between Proverbs and Human Relations in a Refugee Camp

Abstract

The primary objective of this presentation is to understand how proverbs reflect society's perception of gender in a particular socio-cultural context. This qualitative study recognizes the direct experiences and insights of the 35 participants on gender relations. The proverbs provided by the participants led us to an in-depth analysis of the attitude of men toward women and their assumption of women’s role in a patriarchal society which could influence the gender relationship among Sri Lankan Tamils inside Indian refugee camps. A conceptual framework was developed to aid understanding of the research findings and illustrate the interrelationship between (a) refugee camps, (b) socio-cultural context, (c) patriarchal, and (d) collective identity. This framework provides an opportunity to position proverbs in a unique context.  This study identified that the proverbs validate cultural expressions, justify rituals and gender practices, impose social pressure and social control on women, and reinforce society’s moral principles and values.