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WhereFatIsaMarkofBeauty.doc

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WhereFatIsaMarkofBeauty TheNigerianteenagerhasspenteverydaysinceearlyJuneina"fatteningroom"speciallysetasideinherfather'smud-and-thatchhouse.Mostofherwakinghoursarespenteatingbowlafterbowlofrice,yams,plantains,beansandgari,aporridge-likemixtureofdriedcassavaandwater. Afterthreemoremonthsofstarchydietandforcedinactivity,MargaretwillbereadytoreentersocietybearingthetraditionalmarkoffemalebeautyamongherEfikpeople:fat. IncontrasttomanyWesterncultureswherethinisin,manyculture-consciouspeopleintheEfikandothercommunitiesinNigeria'ssoutheasternCrossRiverstatehailawoman'srotundityasasignofgoodhealth,prosperityandallure. Thefatteningroomisatthecenterofacenturies-oldriteofpassagefrommaidenhoodtowomanhood.Themonthsspentinpursuitofpoundagearesupplementedbydailyvisitsfromelderlymatronswhoimparttipsonhowtobeasuccessfulwifeandmother.Nowadays,though,girlswhoarenotyetmarriage-bounddoatourintheroomspurelyasacoming-of-ageceremony.Andsometimes,nursingmothersreturntotheroomstoputonmoreweight. "Thefatteningroomislikeakindofschoolwherethegirlistaughtaboutmotherhood,"saidSylvesterOdey,directoroftheCulturalCenterBoardinCalabar,capitalofCrossRiverstate."Yourdailyroutineistosleep,eatandgrowfat." LikemanytraditionalAfricancustoms,thefatteningroomisfacingrelentlesspressurefromWesterninfluences.HealthcampaignslinkingexcessfattoheartdiseaseandotherillnessesarechangingtheeatinghabitsofmanyNigerians,andurbandwellersareoptingoutofthetime-consumingprocess. EffiongOkonEtim,anEfikvillagechiefinthedistrictofAkpabuyo,saidsomefamiliescannotaffordtoconstantlyfeedadaughterformorethanafewmonths.Thatcompareswithastayofuptotwoyears,aswascommonearlierthiscentury,hesaid. Butthepracticecontinuespartlybecause"peoplemightlaughatyoubecauseyoudidn'thavemoneytoallowyourchildtopassthroughtheriteofpassage,"Etimsaid.What'smore,manybelieveanunfattenedgirlwillbesicklyorunabletobearchildren. Etim,65,puthistwodaughtersinafatteningroomtogetherwhentheywere12and15yearsold,butsomegirlsundergotheprocessasearlyasage7,afterundergoi