Disaster in an alternative civilization. The social dimension of AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The view that there is a distinct internally coherent African pattern of sexuality marriage and family structure that differs from the "Eurasian" model and that imperils sub-Saharan Africa now faced with HIV is elaborated using extensive evidence from anthropology. The African system emphasizes ancestral lineage much more than conjugal links. Fertility is valued as a sign of virtue. Pubertal initiation rites rather than marriage mark the beginning of sexual activity. The marriage bond is relatively weak. Divorce is common. Illegitimacy is a foreign concept. It is argued that this system derives from the agricultural pattern of shifting agriculture and use of the hoe by women rather than the plow by men. Economic activities are highly separated by gender with women more highly regarded than in Europe. Polygyny is common: the family unit is a mother and her children. Sexuality is considered a natural universal source of pleasure and usually contains a transactional element. Thus women are expected to accept payment gifts school tuition or support in exchange for sex and female employees may be expected to give sexual services. Most of these aspects of sexuality are universal with few differences across the continent except that in Eastern Africa premarital pregnancy is not now as acceptable. Prostitution defined as professionals who service large numbers of men is rare except in parts of East African and in mining settlements but "outside wives" are common everywhere. Africans do not believe the African way can even be discussed with non-Africans. The implication of this view is that AIDS information campaigns based on the European model could be damaging to vulnerable groups (such as deserted wives) badly targeted or ineffective. Possibly a campaign do eliminate ulcerative sexually transmitted diseases would be more effective in slowing HIV transmission.