Suantraí na Máthar Síní

Publication Instance Details #161

Publication Overview

Translation	Is Multilingual	Explicit Irish Context?	Ekphrasis	Has Paratext?	Reference to News, Media or Technology
No	No	Yes	No	No	No

Details

Human Rights Issues	Gender-based violence
Irish Context	Other
Languages	Irish
Genre	Short Lyric
Medium	Print Collection
Notes	Foot-binding, a cultural practice that was common in China since the 13th Century, is referenced in this poem and in the title of the poem. It was a social symbol to have bound feet, and for almost 800 years, Han Chinese girls would have their feet bound to increase their marriage opportunities. Here, Jenkinson combines this brutal tradition with an Irish rhyme, 'fillim an muicín seo'. Additionally, the Irish names of other girls are referenced in the poem, as though this is happening in Ireland. The mother in the poem is portrayed as doing this out of love, but the act of foot-binding (and its portrayal here as occurring in Ireland) raise the wider context of gender roles and expectations that are placed upon young girls.