34 Circe Salon -- Make Matriarchy Great Again -- Disrupting History

Join new Make Matriarchy Great Again host Lauren Torres as she talks with Lucy Pearce, the founder of Womancraft Publishing. Lucy is a multi-faceted creative whose work spans the expressive arts, exploring the lost archetypes of the feminine and symbols of the soul. She is the author of multiple life-changing non-fiction books, including Nautilus Award silver winners Medicine Woman, Burning Woman, and Creatrix: she who makes. Lucy founded Womancraft Publishing, publishing paradigm-shifting books by women for women, in 2014. Listen in as we celebrate the transformative power of the stories of women by women!

As with so many women in Greek mythology, Medea has seen her nature, persona and story changed pejoratively with every retelling by the men who spoke her name. In today's episode, we chat with guest Miriam Robbins Dexter and our regular host and founding member of the podcast, Vicki Noble, about the origin of Medea and the true nature of her story. Miriam Robbins Dexter, Ph.D., holds a B.A. in Classics and a Ph.D. in Indo-European Studies (comparative linguistics, archaeology and mythology), from the University of California, Los Angeles. Her friend and colleague, Vicki Noble, is a regular member of the Make Matriarchy Great Again team and is the author of such seminal works of women's history as Double Goddess and Shakti Woman. Sean Marlon Newcombe and Dawn "Sam" Alden co-host.

Women talking to each other - how dare they? Kimberly and Dawn talk to each other about the origin of the campaign against gossip, and how most of it is actually very good for all of us. Let’s chat!

The founder of the Academy Hagia and one of the strongest voices in the Modern Matriarchal Studies movement, Heide Göttner-Abendroth has written books and articles and given amazing talks on historical and extant matriarchy around the globe. It is her definition of what makes a matriarchy that we use on our podcast. We are SO thrilled to be able to speak to her about her own history, and what in her life brought her to matriarchal studies. Join us for a fascinating discussion!

Time for a shout-out to two great Amazon warriors, Penthesilea and Hippolyta. Join old-school hosts, Sean Marlon Newcombe and Dawn "Sam" Alden, as they welcome one of our new hosts, Lauren Torres, to discuss these fabulous warrior women. It's good to be back!

We're back for the new season (finally) and we're introducing our new hosts as well. Join us as we get back into action making matriarchy great again!

Hey, everyone! There are some changes afoot for the podcast. We are going to reorganize in order to keep bringing you content that helps make matriarchy great again!

Greer “G.R.” Macallister is an author of historical fiction and science fantasy. Under her full name, "Greer MacAllister," she has written the historical fiction novels The Magician’s Lie, Girl In Disguise, Woman 99 and Arctic Fury. Her historical novels put a spotlight on the lives of women whose stories have not fully been told. With her new “Five Queendoms” series, and under the name "GR MacAllister," Ms. MacAllister ventures in the world of science fantasy and gynarchy-- female-dominated worlds. Beginning with the work Scorpica and continuing wither latest novel Arca, we are introduced to the stories of women powerful in war, queenship and magic. We are delighted to share our interview with her.Sean Marlon Newcombe and Dawn "Sam" Alden co-host.

This one was definitely worth an encore: Join us as we take a fun dive into the history of the British suffrage movement and the untold story of the women who became martial arts experts and protectors of the movement. Tony Wolf, author of the graphic novel "Suffrajitsu: Mrs. Pankhurst's Amazons," talks to us about his novel and the marvelous and colorful history of these Suffrajitsu women. Dawn "Sam" Alden and Sean Marlon Newcombe co-host.

According to Marija Gimbutas, "During the sixth millennium B.C., the Old Europeans developed a writing system; like many other Old European achievements, writing grew out of religious symbols and signs." How did this writing system work and what was its function? And why has its primacy and importance been overlooked by scholars?Join us as we discuss this topic with Miriam Robbins Dexter, Ph.D., who holds a B.A. in Classics and a Ph.D. in Indo-European Studies (comparative linguistics, archaeology and mythology) from the University of California, Los Angeles. Her friend and colleague, Vicki Noble, a regular member of the Make Matriarchy Great Again team, joins the discussion.Sean Marlon Newcombe and Dawn "Sam" Alden co-host

In this podcast takeover, we're delighted to turn over the reins to the Subject To Power Podcast. Hosted by Elle Kamihira, Subject To Power focuses on how women of the world ended up subjugated and exploited, and on what universal male domination has done to humanity and to our planet. In this episode, "The Oldest Trauma," Elle talks with trauma specialist Christine Fournier who poses the following questions: What if misogyny is not the hatred of women - but a phobia? What if patriarchy is not a power structure - but a pathology? And what if we could trace these twin phenomena back to their point of origin like we can trace the eruption and evolution of a virus?Join us as we present the Subject to Power podcast and its fascinating responses to these probing inquiries.

In a classic recording, Vicki Noble joins Sean Marlon Newcombe and Dawn "Sam" Alden to discuss the matriarchal roots of Western Civilization. "Old Europe" is the term given to a set of advanced cultures that lasted for thousands of years west of the Black Sea. The topic so controversial, mainstream scholarship often refuses to address it. Vicki's knowledge and detail of this history (or "herstory") is not to be missed.This was initially presented in five parts. It has now been edited in long-form for your listening pleasure.

Join us as we discuss the fascinating story of the Tarim Basin mummies with Miriam Robbins Dexter. The Tarim Basin mummies are naturally mummified human remains that were discovered in China's Tarim Basin dating from around 2,000 BC to AD 200. Their origins have attracted international attention over their “Western” physical appearance. Where did these people come from and how do they relate to the migrations of both the matriarchal civilizations and Indo-European invaders that we've discussed on other podcasts?Miriam Robbins Dexter, Ph.D., holds a B.A. in Classics and a Ph.D. in Indo-European Studies (comparative linguistics, archaeology and mythology), from the University of California, Los Angeles. Her friend and colleague, Vicki Noble, a regular member of the Make Matriarchy Great Again team, joins the discussionDawn "Sam" Alden and Sean Marlon Newcombe co-host.

Join us as we discuss the role of women in Hawaiian martial arts and traditional combat with stuntwoman and martial artists Michelle Manu. Ms. Manu is a native of Hawaii and is a stuntwoman and a teacher of the Hawaiian martial art called "Lua."Sean Marlon Newcombe and Dawn "Sam" Alden co-host.

The second part of our talk with Joan Marler about her mentor Marija Gimbutas. Joan is the Founder and Executive Director of the Institute of Archaeomythology. She is the editor of The Civilization of the Goddess (1991) by Marija Gimbutas and From the Realm of the Ancestors: An Anthology in Honor of Marija Gimbutas (1997). Joan lectures internationally about the work of Maria Gimbutas and she is working on a biography of Dr. Gimbutas.Vicki Noble joins us to share her experiences with Dr. Gimbutas and her work as well.Sean Marlon Newcombe and Dawn "Sam" Alden co-host.

The Amazons are our inspiration and we thought it would be good to introduce our new listeners to some of discussions on the topic. In a wonderful, spirited discussion, we present and encore episode in which Max Dashu discusses her research into the warrior women called "Amazons." How did the Ancient Greek conception of femaleness shape the stories of Amazons that we know today? What is the relationship of Amazon concept to the warrior tribes that existed in the Black Sea region? Was there really a standalone tribe of warrior women? Sean Marlon Newcombe and Dawn "Sam" Alden discuss these concepts with Max.

Join us as we talk with Joan Marler about her mentor Marija Gimbutas. Joan is the Founder and Executive Director of the Institute of Archaeomythology. She is the editor of The Civilization of the Goddess (1991) by Marija Gimbutas and From the Realm of the Ancestors: An Anthology in Honor of Marija Gimbutas (1997). She worked closely with Marija Gimbutas as her personal editor from 1987-1994 and lectures internationally on Prof. Gimbutas’ life and work. Joan is working on a biography of Dr. Gimbutas and discusses with her legacy and continued influence.Vicki Noble joins us to share her experiences with Dr. Gimbutas and her work.Sean Marlon Newcombe and Dawn "Sam" Alden co-host.

What is the source of creativity? Where do poems come from? How does an artist come into being?Join us as we chat with Mary Mackey about her new book Creativity. Mary Mackey is the author of eight collections of poetry and fourteen novels, including the New York Times best-seller A Grand Passion and The Village of Bones, The Year The Horses Came, The Horses At The Gate, and The Fires of Spring, four sweeping historical novels that take as their subject the earth-centered, Goddess-worshiping cultures of Neolithic Europe. In her new book Mary takes on her personal journey as an artist and how that journey reflects the journey that all artists take.Sean Marlon Newcombe, Dawn "Sam" Alden and Vicki Noble join Mary.

Easily one of our favorite episodes, this extraordinary and little-known bit of history always amazes.Deliberately erased from history, the story of the women of the Mongol Empire was one of tremendous achievement. Genghis Khan encouraged equality of the genders and his daughters, granddaughters, daughters-in-law took advantage of that to great success. Prof. Jack Weatherford is one of the foremost scholars of Mongol history and a New York Times Best Seller author. He has recovered the stories of these powerful women and shares the tales of their amazing lives with Sean Marlon Newcombe and Dawn "Sam" Alden.

Join us as we celebrate the history and relevance of International Women's Day (IWD). From it's inception as an outgrowth of socialist labor movements in the early 20th Century to it's modern incarnation as a global day of awareness of the struggles of women, International Women's Day has provided an annual opportunity to focus on female empowerment. We will touch upon the United States Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) and whether this could be the year that American women will have their equal rights enshrined in the US Constitution. Also, we will talk about this year's UN theme for IWD: "DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality." Women have made many historical contributions to technological development in culture and we will focus on a few of them including those of Ada Lovelace, the mother of modern computing. Vicki Noble, Dawn "Sam" Alden and Sean Marlon Newcombe discuss.

We present an encore presentation of John Colarusso's discussion of the the fabulous Nart Sagas. As our following has grown, we'd like to acquaint our new listeners with some of the foundational topics of this podcast. The Nart Sagas touch upon many of the foundational concepts explored in this podcast. These sagas are a collection of heroic tales from the Black Sea Region and the Caucasus which are notable for their stories of warrior women and mystical matriarchs. In the Classical World, Caucasia was known as the land of the fearsome female fighters whose name would pass into history as "Amazons." Join us as we talk with John Colarusso, renown linguistic professor and the translator of these fabulous tales, as he introduces us to the history of these people, to their languages and to their stories. The tales of these powerful women will amaze. Sean Marlon Newcombe and Dawn "Sam" Alden co-host.

While there is still a chill in the air, let us take a moment a praise the Goddesses of Winter! Join Dawn "Sam" Alden as she regales us with tales of the Frosty Feminine Divine. You'll hear stories of winter goddesses from cultures around the world-- including a few places that you might not expect!Sean Marlon Newcombe co-hosts.

The Lenape people are the original inhabitants of a region that stretched from southern New York State through New York City to the state of Delaware. (They are also known as "The Delaware Nation.") They were eventually displaced to Oklahoma by colonialist encroachment, but their cultural legacy is still powerful in both locations. One aspect of that culture that is rarely discussed is its matriarchal character. Jeremy Johnson, Cultural Education Director of the Delaware Tribe, joins us to tell us about this matriarchal heritage.Sean Marlon Newcombe and Dawn "Sam" Alden co-host.

An exploration of why we want to "make matriarchy great again," with our own Dawn "Sam" Alden and Vicki Noble joining Liz Childs Kelly on her "Home To Her" podcast. Liz Childs Kelly created the Home To Her podcast in order to, in her words, "Remember and reconnect with the Sacred Feminine, an ancient Divine force known intimately by ancestral peoples around the world." Please listen here and then go over to Liz's podcast as well to enjoy the great discussions she has about the feminine divine:https://www.hometoher.com/

Make Matriarchy Great Again returns for 2023 and our first episode of the new year is part of the Feminine Divine series. In this episode we interview the Rev. Dr. Kate Cress, an Episcopal priest who talks to us about her journey from a non-religious upbringing to a life of faith and the role that women have played in that journey. Dawn "Sam" Alden and Sean Marlon Newcombe co-host.

What was the oracular tradition like in Ancient Greece and what were its matriarchal roots? Join us we talk with Max Dashu about this incredible tradition.Sean Marlon Newcombe and Dawn "Sam" Alden co-host.

The iconic film Thelma & Louise debuted in 1991 and changed the cinematic landscape forever. Join Vicki Noble, Dawn "Sam" Alden and Sean Marlon Newcombe as they examine this legendary female revenge film and its effect on culture.

We present an encore presentation of Vicki Noble's discussion of the Marija Gimbutas Symposium from 2021. As our following has grown, we'd like to acquaint our new listeners with some of the foundational topics of this podcast. Without question, the matriarchal scholarship of Marija Gimbutas is a guiding force of Make Matriarchy Great Again-- as is the matriarchal scholarship of Vicki Noble! In fact, Vicki is teaching a course on the matriarchal origins of civilization. You can find out more here:https://www.yogaandthemoon.fr/vicki-waitlistCelebrating the centennial of Marija Gimbtutas' birth, the Association for the Study of Women & Mythology held a symposium on her life and works. "Make Matriarchy Great Again" inspiration and charter member, Vicki Noble, chaired one of the discussions and joins us to talk about the symposium and the celebration of the life of Marija Gimbutas.Sean Marlon Newcombe and Dawn "Sam" Alden co-host.

Vicki Noble & Marilu Shinn - Women's Blood MysteriesVicki and Dawn speak with Marilu Shinn about menstrual blood - its beginning, its end, and how it is entangled with the cycles of life and death, our connection with Mother Earth and the moon, and with the powerful shadow aspect of the Goddess, which our society has tried to banish.

Dawn "Sam" Alden talks with Sean Marlon Newcombe about the myriad of women warriors throughout history and how their stories have been erased. What we talk about in this episode is in many ways foundational to what we’d like to achieve in this podcast. These are the stories we’d like to tell about women and truths about them that we wish to uncover. Please also take a look at a video excerpt of this episode: https://youtu.be/B4EA8BwdCJk

Join us for a wonderful discussion of the rematriation movement as it impacts Native American people. According to the women leading the this movement, "rematriation" refers to the Indigenous concept of reclaiming ancestral remains, spirituality, culture, knowledge and resources in a manner that honors the feminine and the female in culture. Rematriation is a way to reclaim indigenous culture and sovereignty while keeping a matriarchal perspective.We talk with Kristen McCormick, an activist involved in Native American and environmental issues, as well as a CEO of a company, to discuss how Native American women's voices have become more prominent as they lead movements to reclaim their matriarchal cultural roots and improve the world for all of us. Sean Newcombe and Dawn "Sam" Alden co-host.

Referred to as, "A black comedy told in pastels," the film "Promising Young Woman" initiates our series on female revenge movies. Written and directed by Emerald Fennell (for which she won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay) and starring Carey Mulligan, "Promising Young Woman" is a black comedy thriller which tells the story of a young woman, traumatized by a tragic event in her past, who seeks out vengeance against those who cross her path. Join Dawn "Sam" Alden, Sean Marlon Newcombe and Vicki Noble as they discuss this excellent film.

An epic tale of freedom and slavery, love and war, and the potential futures of humankind tells of a twenty-first century California clan caught between two clashing worlds, one based on tolerance, the other on repression-- such is the novel "The Fifth Sacred Thing" by Starhawk. Join Dawn "Sam" Alden and Sean Marlon Newcombe as they discuss this seminal work of matriarchal science fiction.

Join us as Dawn "Sam" Alden regales us about the colorful and incredibly exciting life of Mary Ann Evans, the woman known in India as "Fearless Nadia." A pioneer of women's action films, this British woman slipped through the conventions of colonial Anglo-Indian culture to become one of the most beloved stars of Indian cinema. Remembered best as the masked, whip-wielding star of Hunterwali (in which she did her own stunts) Nadia was a star for decades working well into her sixties-- becoming a fitness guru after her film retirement in her seventies! A life that spanned most of the 20th Century with all its contradictions and triumphs, this is a woman whose story you should know!

Could matriarchy provide an alternative to the predatory corporatism that defines the global economy? Join us as we bring bring back our third member of the Make Matriarchy Great Again team, Vicki Noble, to discuss the Gift Economy with special guest Genevieve Vaughan. Genevieve Vaughan is a scholar of semiotics, a peace activist and a feminist who has championed the concept of the "Gift Economy," a means of exchange where goods are given among people rather than bought and sold. The Gift Economy uses the matriarchal mother-child paradigm as a key basis of its structure. Given the current painful state of economic affairs in the world, is it finally time for a matriarchal solution?

Returning to chat with us again is Professor Ping Yao of Cal State Los Angeles. A specialist on gender and religion in Premodern China, Dr. Yao joins us to do a deeper survey into the important aspects of gender systems and gender practices throughout Chinese history, from the earliest period to the modern era.Sean Marlon Newcombe and Dawn "Sam" Alden co-host.

Madeline Miller's beautiful and lyrical novel, "Circe," Is one part mythology, one part biography and one part half-remembered dream. It is a work that explores Greek myth from the perspective of a female character-- and does so with insight and poetry. Join Sean Marlon Newcombe and Dawn "Sam" Alden as they discuss this marvelous book.

Sex and war. Magic and death. These are the realms of the great Goddess Freyja. Seemingly rising from the chthonic myst of power in the matriarchal past, Freyja is both unknowable and all-encompassing. Join Sean Marlon Newcombe and Dawn "Sam" Alden as they extol the great Lady of battlefield and bedroom. (*Recorded during the eclipse of the blood moon.)

The Goddess Timeline is a chronological record of archaeological images of women and goddesses on a uniform time scale from 30,000 BCE to the present. Join us as we talk to Constance Tippett about her creation of the timeline, its historical significance and its relevance to the matriarchy movement today. We are joined by Make Matriarchy Great Again member and inspiration Vicki Noble.Sean Marlon Newcombe and Dawn "Sam" Alden co-host.

We chat with filmmakers Matia Karrell and Hilary Prentice about their documentary on the American female military aviators of World War II, the WASPs. Overlooked then erased from history, these women brave aviation trailblazers who served a crucial role in the war effort. It would take decades, but they would eventually be acknowledged and honored for their service.Sean Marlon Newcombe and Dawn "Sam" Alden co-host.

Ellen Snortland is a writer, director and producer who has been a women's self-defense advocate and instructor for most of her career. Her seminal work, "Beauty Bites Beast" has gone from book to film and chronicles not only her own journey in self-defense, but the journeys of women across the world who have developed a powerful sense of confidence and self-esteem as they have developed their potent ability to physically defend themselves. Sean Marlon Newcombe and Dawn "Sam" Alden co-host.

In describing the punishment that Zeus would levy upon the world for the "transgression" of man using fire, Hesiod wrote, "At once he made an affliction for mankind..." What was that "affliction," you ask? Women. And so begins our journey into the world of Hesiod, a man whose writing shaped the Greek view of the world in such a way that misogyny was considered the norm-- a norm that would echo down through the ages and affect the world that we live in today.

Elaine Pagels is one the most celebrated scholars of early Christianity in the world. She is the author of such popular works as "The Gnostic Gospels," "Adam, Eve and the Serpent" and "Beyond Belief: The Secret Gospel of Thomas." Dr. Pagels talks with Sean Marlon Newcombe and Dawn "Sam" Alden about the role and identity of women in early Christianity including the radical early movement known as "Gnosticism."

It is a tragic echo of earliest civilizations that an army would sweep out of the Crimean to attack a people in Ukraine. As when the Indo-European warriors stormed the towns along the shores and rivers of Old Europe, so we watch a conflict between two countries take place eerily in the footsteps of this millennia earlier clash that transformed the world. Join Vicki Noble as she contextualizes this conflict within the history and current debate over the story of the matriarchal people of Old Europe.Sean Marlon Newcombe and Dawn "Sam" Alden co-host.

Matron of the Amazons. Goddess of the moon. Sister of the hunt. The OMG-- Original Mother-Goddess. She is Artemis and we LOVE her. Join Sean Marlon Newcombe and Dawn "Sam" Alden as they sing her praises. All hail Artemis!

Mary Mackey is a beloved novelist and poet whose work centers on matriarchal and ecological subjects. Her historical novels take place in the matriarchal, goddess-centered cultures of Old Europe. Join us as we discuss with her about her matriarchal writings, her relationship with Marija Gimbutas and her current work.

An illuminating and deeply personal discussion with an Assyrian priestess of Ishtar. One of the Great Goddesses, she was also known as Inanna in Sumer, and is a counterpart of the goddess Astarte. Lady of love and of battle, fertility and storms, she was goddess of the storehouse - overseeing the allocation and distribution of food to the people. Join us in praising Ishtar!IG: @the_assyrian_priestess PATREON: www.patreon.com/theassyrianpriestess

Have you heard the tale of Gallus Mag and Sadie the Goat? These two very colorful characters lived in the 19th Century in New York City, and despite their rocky beginning, eventually found peace with one another. Enjoy their rollicking tale!Written by: Sara AtaiiyanDirected by: Lisa Nicole LennoxNarrator: Rachanee LumaynoGallus Mag: Sandy BorglumSadie the Goat: Maggie RobertsonSound Design & Editing: Victoria Rose SampsonMusic: Raspberry Heaven written by Aedan MacDonnell; performed by Aedan MacDonnell, Robyn Heller & Ashleigh Hill

Join us as Vicki Noble guides us through the story of how the religious rites of The Goddess were turned into the wedding rituals of the patriarch. Long ago, the wheeled-wagon invaders overran the matriarchies and coopted and subverted the matriarchal lineage of female spiritual and temporal power. Today we see that barely recognize that lineage in its transformed state as contemporary wedding rites. How did this happen and what does it mean for female power?Sean Marlon Newcombe and Dawn "Sam" Alden co-host.

Join us as we take a fun dive into the history of the British suffrage movement and the untold story of the women who became martial arts experts and protectors of the movement. Tony Wolf, author of the graphic novel "Suffrajitsu: Mrs. Pankhurst's Amazons," talks to us about his novel and the marvelous and colorful history of these Suffrajitsu women.