The Potomitan: Women as Central Pillars

The Creole term "potomitan" (center post) captures women's essential role:

Economic Survival

Women often serve as primary breadwinners: - Higher education rates than men - More stable employment - Managing household economies - Supporting extended families

"Check any university classroom—70% women. Check any construction site—90% men. But construction work is irregular. Office jobs are steady," observes economist Dr. Clara Palmiste. "Women adapted to new economies faster."

Emotional Labor

Beyond financial support, women manage: - Children's education and health - Elder care - Family conflict mediation - Cultural transmission - Spiritual practices

"Men make children, women make families," goes the saying. "Unfair? Yes. Reality? Also yes," sighs social worker Ketty Lise.

The Double Bind

Matrifocal responsibility without matriarchal power creates tension: - Expected to be strong but not threatening - Professional success alongside domestic perfection - Sexual autonomy judged harshly - Bearing consequences of men's choices

"We raise daughters to be independent because we know they'll need to be," explains mother of three Sandrine Gaspard. "But we still raise sons to expect service. The contradiction breaks hearts."