The Great Mother

Writer and Director of Social and ecological documentaries, Angie Richard (Davis), joins us today as a special guest to celebrate Earth Day. In this poignant essay, she draws from her learnings and studies of the great cosmic Mother and the indigenous fight for Environmental Justice. Her work centers around overlooked but increasingly relevant themes to create conversations that impact all lives.

 

Long before our modern vision of ‘feminism’ emerged, matriarchal communities worshipped The Great Mother across the globe. Archaeological remnants, art and stories are just some of the traces of memory left behind by our ancestors to remind us of a profoundly holistic worldview centered around kinship and natural laws that kept all life in relative balance. 

For thousands of years, patriarchal cultures have attempted to wipe out our maternal Earth bonds and ancestral wisdom, grossly hindering sustainable planetary evolution.

 The patriarchy, which views Man as greater than Nature, has forcibly carved a pathway of exponential exploitation and destruction. This rampant exploitation of our biomes – planetary and feminine - fueled today by an insatiable obsession for growth and domination by predominately white techno-capitalist males, brings us to an unprecedented time in humanity’s existence.

Fortunately, The Great Mother always returns. 

In fact, SHE never left us. Many Indigenous communities have maintained their knowledge of women’s power in Earth's custodianship despite tremendous challenges and, indigenous women throughout history are often entrenched in the frontlines of both seen and unseen ecological and social justice movements. Now, more than ever, we need to support our global sisters. 

On Earth Day 2022, we call upon readers to align the divine feminine that resides within us all by elevating the voices of indigenous women on the frontlines of environmental justice movements.

Founder of Anicca Media, Angie Richard (Davis) is an award-winning producer, writer and director of social and ecological documentaries. Born in Australia, Angie has lived around the world, has two children and currently resides in France. To learn more about her work or environmental justice movements contact angie@theaniccaway.com.