The World Ancestor Concert’s theme of Women, Water & Peace provides a clear focus within our setting of celebrating the legacy of the world’s Ancestors’ cultures and traditions. This key theme helps us to shine a light on important work going on throughout the Global Village amongst many marginalized communities and populations and the profound nature of those voices coming forward to create the world our Ancestors knew was possible.
Why Women?
- Women hold a cultural primacy, a centrality of culture, a range of numerical and also energetic, life-affirming depth connecting us to the core of family, of tribe, of nation, the LGBTQ community, the struggle against the horrors of patriarchy, colonialism, class, poverty and beyond, pointing the way to liberation of the soul, the body, the spirit...the land.
- Women have long been embattled within the history of particular cultures, assaulted by intersectional oppressions. Women call not only themselves, but all of humanity, the spirit and body of the Earth and its sacred waters into balance,nurturance and justice
- Women have held and developed grounded, intelligent and effective leadership in politics, culture, spirituality, academics and healing. The oppression of women, girls and the LGBTQ community only serves the degradation, disintegration and destruction of culture, humanity and our connection to the sacred.
- Women figure powerfully in spirituality, the creativity and sustenance of the divine feminine, a primary motive force in the universe and in the Ancestral realm. Global justice, liberation and healing will not happen without them.
It's been said that
if you want everyone to have something,
give it to the women.
Women's International League for Peace and Freedom
Women for Women International Vital Voices Global Partnership
International Domestic Abuse Hotlines
#WomenWaterPeace #EmpowerWomenAndGirls #EmpowerWomen
#MensWork #MenTakeNotice
Our Men's Work page
Why Water?
- Water is key to all life across the globe. Humans are connected to all life through this sacred element. Correspondingly, we are 75% water just like the Earth that gave us birth. Also importantly, only 3% of the Earth's water is fresh water and due to biology and how the modern world has negatively affected the waters, only1% of water on earth is drinkable ("Planet Earth: Water").
- Many systems in the modern, industrial world, industry, factory farming, corporate water privatizers (soft drink, energy drink, water "product" bottlers, etc,...) are inordinately exploiting, displacing and wasting precious water resources in ways that directly affect indigenous and marginalized populations and communities and indirectly affect privileged, corporate/industrialized societies. The Earth's hydrological cycle is a closed system. Damage done in one part of the system will ultimately have some affect on the system as a whole.
- Indigenous peoples, women, children, people in poverty are inordinately affected by water shortages, exploitation and pollution. Corporate (Bechtel, Coca-Cola, Exxon/Mobil, Chevron) , governmental (Bolivia, Flint, MI USA, etc,...) theft and abuse of sacred water or as many of us refer to them, water resources.
- Water protectors, water spirit workers and dedicated water conservationists fighting gas and oil pipelines, water theft and degradation deserve and need cultural and political validation and support to continue to create and affirm new and pre-existing cultures of understanding, sustainable relationship and correct stewardship of water for the benefit of the planet and all life on Earth.
- Water is held and understood as sacred across the Global Village. Indigenous and traditional cultures have observed, revered and lived in oneness with Sacred Water and Water Spirit since the start of their creation stories. Many cultures found their birth out of the sacred womb of the water element.
"Water is the king of food." - Kanuri *
Blue Alternative Food & Water Watch
#WomenWaterPeace #WaterIsLife
Why Peace?
- Peace is an active process that must be activated, embodied and embedded into our cultural narratives, especially since our current global political climate is marked by such present, violence, exploitation, genocide, slavery/trafficking, oppression and land theft and environmental abuse
- Peace is an expression of energetic balance, cultural sovereignty and political/environmental justice, therefore is required for the health of the planet and its inhabitants
- Peace, as a general goal, must continue to be defined and embraced as a particular and deliberate goal, brought into focus, illuminated and strengthened as a global cultural outcome.
"It is no longer good enough to cry peace, we must act peace, live peace, and live in peace." - Shenandoah **
Women, Peace and Security Programme
Organization for World Peace CODEPINK
#WomenWaterPeace #PathToPeace #NoJusticeNoPeace
* "Wisdom of the African World", Edited by Reginald McKnight
** "The Soul Would Have No Rainbow If the Eyes Had No Tears", Guy A. Zona
