The Bleeding Palm Tree

From the Eyes of a Little Girl this incident occurred when the writer was only 11 years old. The Bleeding Palm Tree, No Means No This story is about a beautiful woman, Tha Kaday, who struggled with the custom of the country, in concert with weaning a child and engaging in sexual activities during that period from the birth of the child to at least a year or two of nursing the child, a custom her husband refused to accept. The conflict between the couple escalade to physical, mental and sexual abuse and rape, in such a way the entire village intervened to stop the abuse. As a child I witnessed women suffer physical, mental and sexual abuse from the men they loved and had children for but never to the degree of murder. I watched women suffer silently, because of the children, they will say. Follow Tha Kaday as she forgave her husband more than Seventy times Seven (70 X 7), tells her story from the grave. I cannot attempt to tell my story of abuse and shame without first helping Tha Kaday, tell hers. It was her story as a child that inspired me not to surrender my heart, soul and body to any man, relationship, family or friend. Through her, I also learned to run away, therefore, I am still alive. To all that read this book, I want you to accept the fact that domestic violence is real and exist in every country, society, culture and race. This story will help those who are presently in or are thinking to go back to an abusive relationship to think twice not to end up like our heroin, who held her honor to protect her child but believed her husband will give in and help her raise a healthy child, fell for his lies and ended up dead. The writers desire is for the reader to come away with the hope that people will learn to love each other enough not to course harm to another human being especially if they proclaim to become husband and wife or partners for life.

Ms. Marie Daramy is from Sierra Leone, West Africa. She attended the American Wesleyan Mission elementary and high school in Kamabai and graduated high school from the St. Josephs Convent in Makeni. She migrated to the United States in 1971 as the wife of student at the age of twenty with high hopes, dreams and goals for a great life of success not only in her marriage but also in her education. Those dreams were crushed in less than six months, with violence, mental emotional and physical abuse. She was forced to run away for her life several times and eventually hitch a ride to Lansing, Michigan. I survived that marriage. Ms. Daramy received an AA degree in Fashion Merchandising from Lansing Business University. She moved back to Washington, DC in 1975 and pursued a degree in Theatre/ Acting at the University of the District of Columbia. She put her education on hold to raise her three children. In 2001 she attended Morgan State University where she completed a degree in Theatre. Ms. Daramy in writing this book hopes to reach out to individuals, who face abusive relationships not to make the same mistake our heroin made by trusting it will be alright as long as he/she apologizes. No individual should have to suffer such a demise thinking someday it will get better or he/she will change. My advice to all is to run away with no contact from/to anyone no matter what they are facing, because the answer is ahead of you not behind you! Dont ever look back. Keep moving till you have satisfied the desires of your heart and you are loving yourself first.