Evidence of respect for women

Although unusual for an initiative to be the retelling of our story of women throughout time, this is my initiative: to keep known the work of Max Dashu who has been researching and discovering the evidence of times and places in which women were respected. My impact, those who read, hold and carry forward her discoveries. Through more than a half century of work Max brings us proof through the untold stories, the intentionally hidden stories kept from us to continue the narrative that men have always been dominant, superior to women, meant to be in control. With her permission I continue to bring her work here.

Her latest work shows us the messages sent through art, the sacred signs, windows into women's ceremony, dance, body painting, artwork – female cultural artists in Iraq, Pakistan, Egypt, Romania, China, Mexico, Greece, Brazil, the US, Thailand, Iran, Sudan, Costa Rica, living traditions in indigenous communities. Items intended for use in special burial ceremonies celebrating the seasons, life, death rebirth, the indigenous world of story, song, dance, symbols, which she calls "a scripture of science…language, symbols, embedded, dismissed as decorations”, the ceremonies celebrating, the nature of the universe, the cycles and patterns, the name and meaning of Pueblo peoples, of northern Brazilian people, of names and evidence of meetings, 7000 years of pottery showing life force, nature, depictions of invasions, of genocide, conversion to dominant cultures. Carrying how women have kept the stories known, through art.

These pots were created in respect for the body of the Mother returned, parallels across continents, recurring symbols in images of women, sacred artifacts to be buried back into the womb of the mother when people die. From Iran in 1000 through 600 bce the pattern of vulvas. From the Hopi people in the 20th century, the womb opening of mother earth.

In Turkey, naked women in dance, full bodied, arm in arm. Broad- hipped women with streaming hair in movement together, arms raised in invocation across South Asia, In Pakistan women dancing hand in hand, hair streaming, in nature, with sacred creatures, the ibex, early cousin to the deer. 

In Pakistan circles of women, hips thrusted out, dancing in joy with each other. 

In Iran women dancing with hair streaming into the four directions, scorpions surrounding the women as protectors in Iran, Iraq and Pakistan. 

I learn that in Sanskrit the swastika originally meant “It is well”, also in the Dene and Navajo languages. 

In east Iraq painted onto pots, women with hair in locks dance with hands to breasts and to each other.

In Gansu northwest China neolithic indigenous women in circle dance, men in circle dance, both circles respected.

In Romania and Ukraine lines of women in string skirts.

In southern Arizona USA women in circle, hand in hand. Women with planting hoes in Peru. Women in dance, black birds in hand, masked - ancestral mothers.

In 750 bce in Greece, women in leaf skirts, hands joined, dancing in circle around bowls with herbs, snakes rising in-between each from the earth, a place where women escaped forced marriages, holding garlands in celebration, bands of cranes flying overhead.

In Iran, Syria, Pakistan,  vulvas prominent in ancient art, in Yangshau culture in China 5000 bce, the vulva pattern representing life giver. 

Art of vulvas and spirals have been found in Romania, the USA, China, vulvas surrounded by swirls of energy. In Brazil matrilineal tradition is carved into pottery, painted by women, legs parted, vulvas with spirals of energy. We search for these different times, times when as women our bodies were respected, knowing in our bones that it was not and is not this way everywhere, as we continue to honour our mothers, our daughters, ourselves, celebrating through this proof, this art carved into pots, that in these times women were respected. These times that held no shame.

Messages from 10,000 years ago, honouring women.

Knowing this reinforces my spirit as a woman, celebrating this proof that it was not always this way, the shaming of women. The art and the legends sustain us in our work for freedom, and in our knowledge that our traditions have been hidden, holding this joy that we have met in this lifetime, to be working together, celebrating and building our connections, sharing information through our stories, our circle dance here within World Pulse.