I, having not been raised with Indigenous teachings never heard Moontime until about 1995. I was at a Pow Wow...funny how this stuff goes full circle. I was there to take photos for a project that I was working on while in the Photography program at Langara. (Note: the words/timing is messed up and it needs to be re-made)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NmfDiEJxdc
A young woman there mentioned it and I had to asked her to explain. I think it was then that I heard the word
Residential school. She said her mom had been in one.
Now come full circle and I am back at
Langara, 21 years later. I am looking for inspiration for my design. I couldn't sleep this morning. So I got up and there was
Luna.
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| Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016 |
A great big beautiful moon. The moon often wakes me. I wish I lived somewhere I could just go out and lay on the grass, rock or a hammock and gaze for hours in the moonlight. I've read some amazing articles on the healing power of the moon.
Anyways back to moontimes. Here's a great article explaining about Moontimes. You see we are so messed up about them. It's actually tragic, how much women suffer going to work, school, pushing on through the pain and dealing with everything from the expense of buying pads, tampons, laundry, whatever.
Moontime is sacred time. I'll say it again.
Moontime is a sacred time. I pray for the day when it will be again. When women can gather in a special place and have dream time and purify themselves and gain strength.
Check out this lovely article. I will try to find more.
http://www.sevencircles.org/Newsletter-Ceremony-MoonTime.html
"
Moontime refers to the time a woman bleeds during her menstrual
cycle. Through this cycle, women feel the effects of the moon,
like we see the Earth affected by the ocean tides. There is some
controversy and confusion about menstruating women and their
participation in Native Ceremonies, such as the sweatlodge. Bleeding
women sacrifice and give to the people during their moontimes,
and through childbirth. The sweat ceremony was created for men
to have a way to sacrifice and give for the people since they
do not bleed monthly, or give birth. The Creator does not ask
so much that women need to double their effort to be close to
Spirit.
Much knowledge of women's traditions has been lost due to
the genocide of Native peoples and the outlawing of their ceremonies.
Before patriarchy, bleeding women were respected for their ability
to nourish life and many still view this bleeding time as the
first ceremony to connect with Spirit. Patriarchal society continues
to view women's bleeding as a curse: dirty, and something to
be ashamed of. These histories of oppression of Native Peoples
and of Women leave us vulnerable to feelings of exclusion, anger,
or hurt when ceremonies do not include mooning women in the same
way as others."
"Just as the moon has a monthly cycle which culminates with
a full moon, a woman also has a monthly cycle culminating with
menstruation. This is why a woman's menstrual flow is called
her Moon.
During her Moon time, a woman is going through her
own natural purification process. While her body is going through
this natural purification, she is also recharging her own body's
powers and energies, so it is a cleansing and restorative time
for her. Because a woman's power is being renewed during this
process, she must stay away from all sacred ceremonies, Eagle
Feathers, Pipes, and the food which is to be eaten following
a ceremony. A woman's power during her moon time is so strong
that it can draw the power away from the sacred Sweat Lodge,
Sundance, and Pipe ceremonies. Her power during this time can
interfere with the power in the Sacred Pipe, Eagle Feathers,
and the food offered for the feasts following ceremony. This
interference can sometimes cause others to become sick." Read more
here
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| Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016 |
