A handbag is typically used by women to hold small, personal items. It is interesting to know that in the past, clothes were pocketless. As a result, men also carried handbags with things such as coins, alms and relics. During the 17th C, men rarely used handbags because pockets became an integral part of their clothes.
Surprisingly, women‘s love for handbags increased as the years passed by.
There are essential items that can be found in a woman‘s handbag, but the content varies depending on the holder. According to Claudine Mafany-Namange, her handbag contains house keys, car keys, some money , identification documents, notepad, pen, and hand sanitizer amongst other things.
Ngwa Claudia, a business woman in Yaounde says her handbag always contains her phone, a charger and an ear piece.
“My phone is part and parcel of me. I have to be connected 24/7 because I am constantly receiving calls and replying messages from my customers. I always ensure that when leaving the house I keep my phone, charger and ear piece in my handbag“.
Bad breath is a complete turn off for most people. Efeti a Limbe resident, who did not want to be fully identified, says amongst other things she carries bubble gums in her handbag. “Having bubble gum in my handbag is a must. Eating spicy food can cause bad breath. I usually chew gums after lunch to freshen my mouth“
A woman‘s handbag contain things one would hardly imagine. Some local women carry toothpicks and openers in their bags when going for parties . Ma Sophie, an elderly Buea-based trader, lamented that she once attended a party and nearly died of thirst because the waiter delayed in opening her bottle of drink. “After waiting for them[ for too long] to open my drink, I decided to open with my teeth. I nearly lost a tooth in the process,“ she said, adding that this has caused her to always have an opener handy.
Others reveal that they carry big bags to occasions so that they can take home what is commonly known in Cameroon as “should- in-case.“ Should-in-case refers to leftover food or drinks, taken away by guests (usually female) from ceremonies (snacks, slices of chicken or fish , cake, canned drinks, jollof rice and other cooked food)
“When I attend occassions, I do everything possible to take some food or snacks home for my kids. [I feel bad] returning to the house empty-handed knowing they are expecting something from me,“ said Madam Ebai, a primary school teacher in Kumba.
However, a good number of women hold that taking leftover food from parties is a shameful thing to do.
“I hate handbags because of the way women misuse them during occasions. On several occasions I watched, with disgust, how women moved from table to table carrying and putting leftover food in thier handbags,“ Emila Nganje, a teacher in Buea lamented.
A woman‘s handbag may also contain her pants and sanitary pad, to take care of menstrual issues. “ I have been embarrassed several times by the sudden onset of my period“. I have irregular period and as such I can‘t know exactly when to expect it. To be on the safe side, I always have an extra sanitary pad and pant in my handbag,“ Clara Tambe, a UB student revealed to Africa Excellence.
A good number of men have felt embarrassed after searching women‘s handbags .
A male student of the University of Buea, who preferred not to be named , lamented that he unknowingly took out a sanitary pad from his female friend‘s bag while searching for her phone charger.
According to Laura Chumbon, a caterer in Buea, the contents of her handbag would depend on where she is going to. “If I‘m going to a party, I would carry powder, lip gloss and occassionally some cologne. When traveling, you would find snacks, tissue , a shoulder wrap and sometimes an umbrella in my bag.“
Many women say they keep make-up accessories in handbags so they can refresh their makeup and look great throughout the day. Others reveal that their bags may contain sharp objects such as needles, safety pins and blades which can be used to mend their dresses in case of any tear in public. “So watch out when next you send your hand into a woman‘s handbag,“ one of them warns.
Being in style is a mandatory thing for ladies to grab all the attention around them and that is possible when they carry handbags that complete their overall looks.
“Sometimes I go out with little or nothing in my handbag. I simply carry certain handbags because I want them to complement my look. I may want my handbag to match with my dress and or a pair of shoes,“ Quincy Fosaah, a physiotherapist in Yaounde, explained.
“I always go out with my handbag because naturally I hate holding things in my hand,“ said Lipende Marquise, a translator at the Ministry of Public Contracts in Yaounde.
For some Christian women, having a bible in their handbags is a must. They would seize any given opportunity to share the word of God and win souls for Christ.
Men have different views about women and their handbags. Awunjia Junior, President of the Faculty of Science, University of Buea, noted that, he admires how women use their handbags to complement their dressing. On the other hand, Kingsley Ngwa ,a pupil bailiff in Buea, lamented that some women spend exhorbitant amount of money on designer bags for the fame of it. “Some of the bags are unnessarily expensive and many women buy them just to show off or to compete with their friends.
