XXI:: The World is Black & Woman
Happy Earth day, earth-dwellers. Today we honor the ever abundant, ever generous Earth Mother, of which we are made. She births us and nourishes us & houses our earthly tethers during our human experience. There's nowhere in the universe quite like Earth with her mystifying proliferation of life. You are a part of what makes this place special.
Today we pay respect to the ever abundant Earth Mother, our beloved Mother whom we cherish & care for with gratitude & adherence to the utmost ethic.
How will you celebrate?
The card depicted is The World of the Afro- Brazilian Tarot Deck. This deck exudes tranquility-- it feels ancestral & close to the Earth. A woman slowly walks toward a body of water, two bowls of fire on either side, triumphantly holding up a chain of gold beads. She wears yellow & orange & her clothes billow in the breeze. There is one thick cloud in the middle of the sky and mountains or large boulders on the horizon.
The World card typically features a depiction of the Earth. Given that She is our world, what other depictions could befit the world card?
What called me to this deck was it's imagery of Black people. A budding tarot reader at the time, I was eager to own a deck which featured Black people so that I could feel my own ancestral connections and authentic experiences through them. My world was a Black world, people were Black people. It is my life after all, and I am a Black woman. I deserve to be at the center.
Kenyan woman farmer working with her child strapped to her back. https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/agriculture-africa-women-farmers-plantwise-protection-pests-diseases/1823596.html
Ecowomanism is a feminist theological framework connecting environmental justice & Black women's socioeconomic justice. It's thematically centered on Black & African womens' connection to & relationship with the Earth Mother. One of it's foundational concepts is the parallel between the degradation & exploitation of the Earth & Black women.
Thusly, this depiction of a triumphant, empowered, Black woman as The World feels just & true.
Without dignified, empowered Black women, where would the world be?
How much of this abundance is taken for granted? How can we appreciate Black women & the Earth a little more in our daily lives? Could we start recycling? Could we call our moms and aunties? Could we volunteer in a garden or on a farm? Could we defend, protect, support, & respect Black women?
Alice Walker with her dog alicewalkersgarden.com
The ecofeminist movement emerged in the 70s & Alice Walker, author of The Color Purple & one of my favorite writers, coined "womanism" in 1983.
Ecofeminism argues that the domination of both women & the Earth are consequences of capitalism & patriarchy. Ecowomanism draws these parallels through African & Indigenous cosmologies & experiences..
Building an Earth ethic that centers social justice will take a lot of philosophical redirection as we break the chains of white supremacy & shift our collective consciousness. Consider sharing my essay with someone you love. And keep reading.
Happy Earth day 💚🌍💙
