General Discussions => Spirituality => Other => Topic started by: Hypatia on February 27, 2009, 02:51:26 PM Return to Full Version
Title: Dance to the Berdash -- by George Catlin (1835)
Post by: Hypatia on February 27, 2009, 02:51:26 PM
Post by: Hypatia on February 27, 2009, 02:51:26 PM
This painting shows Sac and Fox warriors on the Great Plains, dancing in honor of a two-spirit woman.
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fupload.wikimedia.org%2Fwikipedia%2Fcommons%2Fc%2Fc5%2FCatlin_-_Dance_to_the_berdache.jpg&hash=f9412bd71b4afa2c80a6a1ade99fe05d5284ee68) (http://repo.lib.virginia.edu:18080/fedora/get/uva-lib:34698/uva-lib-bdef:100/getFullView)
The point is that the two-spirit woman was "looked upon as medicine and sacred." Never forget that there have been times and places when we were honored and revered, instead of trashed and despised.
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fupload.wikimedia.org%2Fwikipedia%2Fcommons%2Fc%2Fc5%2FCatlin_-_Dance_to_the_berdache.jpg&hash=f9412bd71b4afa2c80a6a1ade99fe05d5284ee68) (http://repo.lib.virginia.edu:18080/fedora/get/uva-lib:34698/uva-lib-bdef:100/getFullView)
Quote"Dance to the Berdashe is a very funny and amusing scene, which happens once a year or oftener, as they choose, when a feast is given to the 'Berdashe,' as he* is called in French ... who is a man* dressed in woman's clothes, as he* is known to be all his* life, and for extraordinary privileges which he* is known to possess, he* is driven to the most servile and degrading duties, which he* is not allowed to escape; and he* being the only one of the tribe submitting to this disgraceful degradation, is looked upon as medicine and sacred, and a feast is given to him* annually" (Letters and Notes, vol. 2, pp. 210-15, pl. 296). Sketched at the Sauk and Fox village in 1835.*unfortunately, this was written before the white man learned how to use the right pronouns for trans people.
The point is that the two-spirit woman was "looked upon as medicine and sacred." Never forget that there have been times and places when we were honored and revered, instead of trashed and despised.
Title: Re: Dance to the Berdash -- by George Catlin (1835)
Post by: NicholeW. on February 27, 2009, 04:36:40 PM
Post by: NicholeW. on February 27, 2009, 04:36:40 PM
Nice post, Hypatia. Nice thoughts as well.
N~
N~
Title: Re: Dance to the Berdash -- by George Catlin (1835)
Post by: Shana A on February 27, 2009, 07:55:33 PM
Post by: Shana A on February 27, 2009, 07:55:33 PM
Quote from: Hypatia on February 27, 2009, 02:51:26 PM
The point is that the two-spirit woman was "looked upon as medicine and sacred." Never forget that there have been times and places when we were honored and revered, instead of trashed and despised.
I await the return of these times!
Z