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Mother in History
The first religion and culture of humanity was centered around the
divine African Mother. She is variously called Mu, Ma, Neith, Nu, Nana, Kali-Ma, Maat...etc. Her names are numerous. The presence of a glorious epoch of harmonious maternal and paternal powers has been since substantiated by anthropological finds, research of aborignal myths, genetics, physics, human psychology....etc. At least this is the story for some people in prehistory. The data concerning the theology of the divine Mother dates back to Paleolithic times and beyond. Here, She represents everything that existed in the universe, in nature and in human culture.
The religion of the African Mother blossomed in the golden high cultures of the Nile Valley, Indus Valley, Crete, Sumer, Catal Huyuk, Inca, Maya and many other great civilizations of prehistory. Many if not all of these civilizations were originally matriliineal in social structure, religion and politics. It is from these belief systems among aboriginal peoples that saw the growth and expansion of the early religion of the divine Mother.
They created and invented all the essential products of civilization and industry, including science, textiles, art, the calendar, language,
religion, agriculture, the monetary system and democracy. These maternal centered societies are truly the mothers and fathers of human civilization. Among the ancient peoples of Africa, many images of the divine Mother religion have been discovered.
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The first human images discovered are maternal nude figures, which date back to the Cro-Magnons of the Upper Paleolithic period between 35,000 and 10,000 BC.
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The Venus of Laussel found in the South of France is carved in
basrelief in a rock shelter. This site appears to have been a hunting shrine which dates back to 19,000 BC. In this carving the woman is painted red and she holds a bison horn in her hand.
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Other female statues were discovered dating back to the Neolithic period (ca.9000-7000 BC), the Middle Neolithic period (ca. 6000-5000 BC) and the Higher Neolithic period (ca. 4500-3500 BC). In Africa, cave images of the Horned Goddess (later Auset, ca 7000-6000 BC) were discovered. Here the black Mother represents self-birthing and fertility.
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During the predynastic Khemetic period, prior to 3110 BC, the
Goddess was known as Ta-Urt (Great One) and was portrayed as a pregnant hippopotamus on her hind legs.
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The Halaf culture around the Tigris River, ca. 5000-4000, had
Maternal images associated with the cow, serpent, humped ox, sheep, bull, dove and double axe. This reflects the peoples images of Mother as the symbol of community, cooperation and agricultural life. These are also very important totemic animals for the Nile Valley civilization and many other African aboriginal belief systems.
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In the Sumerian civilization, ca. 4000 BC, the queens or princessess of cities were associated with the divine Mother (Mother/Shakti) and a king or prince was associated with the God (Father/Shakta) principal.
Despite the matrilineal aspect of these cultures, men and boys were
treated with a high level of respect and honor. Men and women were equals both excelling and prospering in their divine purpose and design. No one was systematically oppressed, disrespected and mistreated. It is believed that the era of expanding major patriarchal religions signified the end of the matrifocal belief systems among Africans and other natives throughout the world. This set off a
series of events where many communites worldwide began to make the at times violent transition from agricultural spirit-centered community to one of slavery, forced nomadism and commercialism. This took place at the changing of the solar ages.
The introduction of the major religions was one of the many signs denoting the new age. With them many aboriginal beliefs would encounter for the first time patriarchal beliefs systems and caste systems based solely on color. Anthropologist call this the spreading of pastoral nomadism. What it means is that a group of highly male-centered, nomadic peoples began to invade, overthrow and take-over many ancient communities and civilizations. Everywhere is the struggle between the new "settler" population and the aboriginal communities. This gauntly continues to this day with many very spiritual communities fighting and struggling to hold on to traditions and beliefs which supports female and male cooperation and also to protect their culture and land from being stolen and corrupted by outsiders. The name of these "new settlers" vary but they all leave one long standing, destructive result on their victims and that is cultural and ancestral fragmentation. In some cases, native peoples have encountered complete genocide. This is what happened to many "indian" nations in South America and the Tasmanians of Australia. Thus, the incredible misconceptions of these ancient places exist for they represent something different from modern socieities and the documentation is usually done by someone who does not represent the ancestral will of the people or the land. Even today there continues to be, among aboriginal peoples an unnatural over dependency on these cultures and their worldview. This is why their culture, language and traditions are dying trying to withstand the brutal wilderness of history.
The belief systems of the divine Mothers is not a religion that is
pro-night, satanic, violent, carnal or believes in human sacrifice and
unihibited sexual expression. This is the myth (design) of many cultures today, who ironically have these same problems. The religion and history of the divine Mother is actually based on stringent laws, customs and traditions that prevents human communities from falling into chaos and destruction (consumption). These laws and traditions vary from place to place, people to people. The original divine laws of humanity begins with the divine Mother. Within the Kemetic context, MAAT (aboriginal Mother of Cush and Kemet) brings light, healing, comfort, transformation, liberation, enlightenment, justice and release.
She is always the friend of freedom, the sun and justice. Always.
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