When considering why women lead in societies one wonders if the "goddess" they follow is Mother Nature/Earth?
Nature is focused on life. Males cannot produce offspring. Thus the matriarch's line is significant while men are brought in to enhance genes, and alliances among clans/tribes. The patriarch societies have subverted the logic of Nature. Indeed, the very nature of recognition of success is related to men and their primary goal, higher status. Today, that is measured in coin.
At best, said coin is a false value as children, whole hearty and strong, are any society's future
I'm currently diving into ancient creation myths, and it's striking how often the first—or sole—creator is indeed depicted as Mother Earth/Great Mother. Patriarchy then seems to have taken these beliefs and simply inverted them.
I have to think that the Romans put down the Celts (eventually) not just out of fear, but their feeling that a society so different from their own had no right to exist. Even though it surely did...
Similarly to how they focused on destroying Carthage, or the Kingdom of Kush, because it sat wrongly with them that Black kingdoms could be so wealthy and successful.
This was illuminating. When history is written souly by patriarchal scholars throughout the ages, they were always going to gloss over any information that challenged their toxic masculinity in any way. Thank you, its refreshing to see a different POV.
Besides in all good relationships strong women work with men to be stronger together. They always have done.
Wonderful article. I’ve always found it fascinating that Northern Europe has tended to this. The seclusion and lack of education of Italian women versus their English counterparts say in the English Renaissance has always interested me as a theme that tracked from Roman times - even though women in England have also been very much oppressed - its all relative.
Even in Celtic Christianity, the monasteries were led by women. Women were known to perform baptisms right after the birth, with no clergy person around. It was a very fluid and open system of "authority" that was not patriarchal at all...until Rome came in and demanded they conform.
Have you read any of Riane Eisler's books on partnership cultures that existed before the domination cultures took over? I'm reading her for research and it's fascinating to do so at this exact moment when dominators are fighting so hard to undo all the partnership wins we've had in America in the last century.
A book, "A New History of the Picts" is also revealing. I say this because women in the area now known as Scotland took their father's last name, not their husband's. So did the children. Recounting one's origins was a custom. When someone introduced himself (notice it's male), he would say, "Son of..., son of...," etc. and would end with some well-known being. Allegedly one man took more than a day to recite his pedigree.
In the book, the Picts did not take the land bridge to present-day England, they sailed across the sea to present-day Scotland and present-day Northern England. Perhaps these two practices came from the Picts. The author of the book states that the Picts came from present-day Southern Scandinavia and present-day Denmark.
On another note, what Jgin says about the victors writing history (who pens/speaks about events) makes sense because in the legend, Boudica was made to witness her daughters raped and then was put to death. And guess what! Women from that point on were not equal, did not have a say in anything, and became like Roman women. So now I believe there's a possibility the fable about Boudica and her and her daughters' demise is B.S. Nothing is mentioned about what happened to her husband, the girls' father. Very telling.
The Boudica legend -- her being dominated by men, who made her watch her daughters' rapes, and then murdered her -- put women in their places. For good. (so far)
It reminds me of the Bible. There probably was a man named Jesus (although, it was a very popular name back then) who did many wonderful things. However, this is another tale manufactured by Rome! The Jesus of the Bible never existed, except in the minds of Roman writers -- after the Roman's war against the Jews of 70CE. We've been duped by the Romans.
When considering why women lead in societies one wonders if the "goddess" they follow is Mother Nature/Earth?
Nature is focused on life. Males cannot produce offspring. Thus the matriarch's line is significant while men are brought in to enhance genes, and alliances among clans/tribes. The patriarch societies have subverted the logic of Nature. Indeed, the very nature of recognition of success is related to men and their primary goal, higher status. Today, that is measured in coin.
At best, said coin is a false value as children, whole hearty and strong, are any society's future
I'm currently diving into ancient creation myths, and it's striking how often the first—or sole—creator is indeed depicted as Mother Earth/Great Mother. Patriarchy then seems to have taken these beliefs and simply inverted them.
I have to think that the Romans put down the Celts (eventually) not just out of fear, but their feeling that a society so different from their own had no right to exist. Even though it surely did...
Similarly to how they focused on destroying Carthage, or the Kingdom of Kush, because it sat wrongly with them that Black kingdoms could be so wealthy and successful.
This was illuminating. When history is written souly by patriarchal scholars throughout the ages, they were always going to gloss over any information that challenged their toxic masculinity in any way. Thank you, its refreshing to see a different POV.
Besides in all good relationships strong women work with men to be stronger together. They always have done.
Thank you for reading! History benefits so much from a diversity of perspectives. It's a shame it took us this long to realise it, though.
Totally brilliant Katie - thanks for your extensive research. Would love to chat with you about your work re women.
Before the patriarchal revolution, lineage was traced from the mother.
Everyone knew who that was.
Yes, Boudecca, Queen of the Iceni was both statesperson and warrior, and very nearly defeated the Roman invaders in CE 61. She is honored in July Chicago's feminist masterpiece, The Dinner Party (1979). https://medium.com/modernidentities/how-to-become-a-woman-warrior-statesperson-ec57626bd608
Wonderful article. I’ve always found it fascinating that Northern Europe has tended to this. The seclusion and lack of education of Italian women versus their English counterparts say in the English Renaissance has always interested me as a theme that tracked from Roman times - even though women in England have also been very much oppressed - its all relative.
Even in Celtic Christianity, the monasteries were led by women. Women were known to perform baptisms right after the birth, with no clergy person around. It was a very fluid and open system of "authority" that was not patriarchal at all...until Rome came in and demanded they conform.
Have you read any of Riane Eisler's books on partnership cultures that existed before the domination cultures took over? I'm reading her for research and it's fascinating to do so at this exact moment when dominators are fighting so hard to undo all the partnership wins we've had in America in the last century.
I've had Eisler's The Chalice and the Blade on my TBR list for far too long, I finally need to dive into it!
Thankyou for your research and writing.
I enjoyed this post!
A book, "A New History of the Picts" is also revealing. I say this because women in the area now known as Scotland took their father's last name, not their husband's. So did the children. Recounting one's origins was a custom. When someone introduced himself (notice it's male), he would say, "Son of..., son of...," etc. and would end with some well-known being. Allegedly one man took more than a day to recite his pedigree.
In the book, the Picts did not take the land bridge to present-day England, they sailed across the sea to present-day Scotland and present-day Northern England. Perhaps these two practices came from the Picts. The author of the book states that the Picts came from present-day Southern Scandinavia and present-day Denmark.
On another note, what Jgin says about the victors writing history (who pens/speaks about events) makes sense because in the legend, Boudica was made to witness her daughters raped and then was put to death. And guess what! Women from that point on were not equal, did not have a say in anything, and became like Roman women. So now I believe there's a possibility the fable about Boudica and her and her daughters' demise is B.S. Nothing is mentioned about what happened to her husband, the girls' father. Very telling.
When God Was A Women and anything by Silvia Federici are must reads for understanding Matriarchal societies and the emergence of Patriarchy.
I second this.
Love this!!!
Thank you!
I love this! What a beautifully written article. I'm not among the 'shocked' people reading this.
Thank you so much for your kind words!
I know that right!
You got me to thinking.....
The Boudica legend -- her being dominated by men, who made her watch her daughters' rapes, and then murdered her -- put women in their places. For good. (so far)
It reminds me of the Bible. There probably was a man named Jesus (although, it was a very popular name back then) who did many wonderful things. However, this is another tale manufactured by Rome! The Jesus of the Bible never existed, except in the minds of Roman writers -- after the Roman's war against the Jews of 70CE. We've been duped by the Romans.
Seems as thought Rome still rules the world.
.
Emperor Constantine adopted Christian Religion as official Roman, thus coopting it for his own purposes.
Yes. And Romans wrote the NT!