Celebrating the Sacred Feminity

In precolonial times, Indigenous groups, such as the Oceti Sakowin and Lakota Nation, held a deep spiritual connection with the Divine Feminine. This focus on the divine feminine was not just a cultural aspect, but a fundamental part of their existence.

The Oceti Sakowin, often referred to as the Seven Council Fires, considered women to be sacred. The turtle, kéya, was a primary symbol of feminine power used by the Lakota people, representing the power of Mother Earth.

However, colonial history's rendering of North American Tribes has predominantly been male-centric. This omission of Indigenous women from historical records is a significant oversight that needs to be addressed.

Among the Oceti Sakowin, medicine women were highly respected. They specialized in the use of Native plants, treating injury, illness, and promoting good health. They also accumulated and dispensed power and cultural knowledge, making the tribes as strong as their women.

The Seven Sacred Rites of the Lakota Nation were gifted by White Buffalo Calf Woman, a Divine Feminine deity. The name of the first woman known as a winoxtca among the Oceti Sakowin was Zitkala-Ša (Gertrude Simmons Bonnin).

In addition to medicine women, there were witches who harnessed power for good or evil among the Oceti Sakawin. Some winoxtca, or female soldiers, were every bit as skilled as their male counterparts. In fact, some were bestowed with war bonnets for their valor.

Women also had the unique ability to manipulate the power of colour and conjure certain deities for assistance. A baby boy may be gifted with a pouch in the shape of a lizard, while a baby girl would receive a turtle-shaped pouch as an amulet of protection, symbolizing the power of Mother Earth.

The symbol of two triangles is a primary symbol of Lakota spirituality, symbolizing the power of heaven and earth. The shell of the turtle demarcates the thirteen moons and the lunar cycle of 28 days, which is also carried within the human female's womb.

Rewriting history and boosting the voices of those who have been erased and subjugated for centuries is crucial. Truth-seeking and listening to the original peoples who have been abused by colonial lies is the first step towards rectifying this wrong.

Ruth H. Robertson, a columnist for Atmos, encourages this truth-seeking and the amplification of Indigenous voices in her writings. The power and influence of Indigenous women in precolonial times deserve to be recognised and celebrated.