Happy International Women’s Day to all the women around the globe everywhere.
I won’t use big words I promise in this post but I dedicate this post and this “Happy women’s day” to every single Egyptian woman that protested from 100 years ago on 9th of March demanding Egypt’s independence and to an end to the exile of the Egyptian delegation of Saad Pasha Zaghlol and his companions who led the independence movement then.
On 8 March 1919, the British occupation issued its decision to send Zaghlol and the rest of the Egyptian delegation that represented Egypt geographically and religiously to exile in Malta.
On 9 March 1919, the anger erupted in the country and its origin point was a small village called Nazlet El-Shobak. The rest is history.
In March 1919, for the first time, the Egyptian women participated in political protests.
Women fought beside men and as an act of equality, they left the full veil up showing their faces in public as in the old days, the type of veil showed your social class as a local Egyptian woman. It was not an anti-religious movement as some claimed as women then kept the head cover in a different way and also religious institution played an important role in supporting the independence of the country.
It was the birth of the women's freedom movement that demanded a bigger role for women in the Egyptian nation led Huda Sharaawy and her sisters.
The girl students in Egyptian high schools especially in Cairo and Alexandria were the true pioneers of their age. I try to imagine what their parents felt then and how some of them had to lie to justify what she was doing then for some families.
Women protesters were killed besides men protesters when the British forces opened its fire with no discrimination what so ever between Egyptians for the first as they fought for their independence.
Happy Women’s day to pioneer Egyptian women protesters of 1919.
Up till now, the Western websites and archives describe what happened in 1919 as riots and protests. Unfortunately, there is complete underestimation for the Egyptian independence movement in 1919 and before it in the Western media.
Anyhow, we know our history.
I won’t use big words I promise in this post but I dedicate this post and this “Happy women’s day” to every single Egyptian woman that protested from 100 years ago on 9th of March demanding Egypt’s independence and to an end to the exile of the Egyptian delegation of Saad Pasha Zaghlol and his companions who led the independence movement then.
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| Women moving in one of the rallies in March 1919 |
On 9 March 1919, the anger erupted in the country and its origin point was a small village called Nazlet El-Shobak. The rest is history.
In March 1919, for the first time, the Egyptian women participated in political protests.
Women fought beside men and as an act of equality, they left the full veil up showing their faces in public as in the old days, the type of veil showed your social class as a local Egyptian woman. It was not an anti-religious movement as some claimed as women then kept the head cover in a different way and also religious institution played an important role in supporting the independence of the country.
It was the birth of the women's freedom movement that demanded a bigger role for women in the Egyptian nation led Huda Sharaawy and her sisters.
The girl students in Egyptian high schools especially in Cairo and Alexandria were the true pioneers of their age. I try to imagine what their parents felt then and how some of them had to lie to justify what she was doing then for some families.
Women protesters were killed besides men protesters when the British forces opened its fire with no discrimination what so ever between Egyptians for the first as they fought for their independence.
Happy Women’s day to pioneer Egyptian women protesters of 1919.
 |
| Egyptian women in May 1919 protests "Getty images" |
Anyhow, we know our history.
I am reminded of Time's cover a few years ago:
ReplyDeleteEGYPT
World best protesters, worst democrats.
1919, and 2011 distant memory..
Seems centuries away :( But let's agree on something , at least the 1919 protesters achieved something in time of an ugly foreign occupation
DeleteThis is an inspiring post that reminds us of how history is changed by the "victors". The shameful and terrible murdering of citizens by the British in 1919 is not something that country would like remembered, but is true nonetheless.
ReplyDeleteI am interested in the life of Saad Zaghlol and want to know if you can recommend any books about him? (English please). I am also very interested in his tomb.
Well unfortunately I do not know any books about him in English , I know in Arabic. Our 1919 revolution and Pre-1952 leaders got very coverage in foreign non-fiction historical literature unfortunately unlike Sadat and Nasser. Saad Pasha's tomb and house are actually in Cairo's Downtown , I was planning to visit them this week but I got sick :( I will pay them a visit isa and post photos and videos here.
Delete