Know this: Long before present day calls for women to embrace our power, women have been embracing our birthright power!- Tonya GJ Prince In toda
Know this: Long before present day calls for women to embrace our power,
women have been embracing our birthright power!– Tonya GJ Prince
In today’s world, we often speak of femininity as a set of qualities or traits associated with being a woman. But what if we told you that long before the word femininity existed, ancient cultures across the globe had their own powerful words to describe the essence of womanhood, divine feminine energy, and female power? These words carried deep spiritual, societal, and even mystical significance—words that honored the sacred feminine in ways that modern language often fails to capture.
Ancient Words for Womanhood and Feminine Power
Before femininity was coined, civilizations had their own terms to express the force, wisdom, and grace of womanhood. These words transcended gender roles, often aligning women with creation, leadership, and cosmic balance.
From the Ancient Mediterranean and Asia:
- Gynaika (γυνή) – Ancient Greek
- Root of words like gynecology, gynocracy, and gynoid. It simply meant woman, but its usage recognized the full presence of women in society.
- Muliebris – Latin
- Used in Roman texts to describe what pertains to women, their strength, and their nurturing roles.
- Isis (𓎡𓊨𓏏𓊖) – Ancient Egyptian
- Isis (or Aset in Egyptian) was more than a name; she embodied the divine feminine, protection, and wisdom.
- Shakti (शक्ति) – Sanskrit (India)
- A fundamental concept in Hinduism, Shakti refers to the divine feminine energy, the force behind all creation.
- Asherah (𐎀𐎘𐎗𐎚) – Canaanite/Phoenician
- A revered goddess, often associated with fertility and the mother of nations.
- Danu – Proto-Indo-European/Celtic
- A goddess of rivers and wisdom, she appears in both early Indo-European and Celtic traditions as a matriarch of divine lineages.
Ancient African Words for Feminine Power:
Across the African continent, civilizations have long used language to honor and define the depth of womanhood. These words often go beyond the modern Western concept of femininity, embracing spiritual power, leadership, and sacred balance.
- Ma’at (𓐍𓏏𓐠) – Ancient Egyptian (Kemet)
- More than just a goddess, Ma’at represented truth, justice, harmony, and cosmic order. Her principles guided life itself.
- Nehanda – Shona (Zimbabwe)
- The name of a legendary spiritual leader, Mbuya Nehanda, represents ancestral wisdom and resistance against oppression.
- Nomkhubulwane – Zulu (South Africa)
- A goddess of fertility, rain, and the earth. Her name is synonymous with nature’s nurturing force.
- Yemoja/Yemaya – Yoruba (Nigeria, Benin, Togo)
- The Orisha of motherhood and the ocean, revered for her protection and wisdom.
- Aje – Yoruba (Nigeria, Benin, Togo)
- Aje symbolizes both spiritual wealth and the powerful feminine force behind markets and trade.
- Nana – Akan (Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire)
- A title of deep respect given to grandmothers, queens, and wise elders.
- Sogolon – Mandinka (Mali, West Africa)
- The name of Sundiata Keita’s mother, representing the resilience and power of African matriarchs.
- Mujaji (Modjadji) – Lobedu (South Africa)
- The Rain Queen, a mystical title for a lineage of female rulers believed to control rainfall.
- Iyalode – Yoruba (Nigeria, Benin, Togo)
- A title for influential women leaders, embodying power and governance.
- Lingeer – Serer (Senegal, Gambia)
- A title for female rulers and warriors in West African kingdoms.
Reclaiming Ancient Wisdom
Some men want to re-define womanhood, but then, haven’t they always? Let men tell it, womanhood is:
- a size,
- a number on the scale,
- makeup contouring,
- another wig vs. weave vs. natural hair debate
- something bestowed by white people,
- a fashion show everywhere you go,
- a marital status,
- or a cut and paste look from the magazines so everyone can know what to pay for. Today. Tomorrow it will be something new. Gotta keep us ladies on the hamster wheel somehow, right?
But, womanhood has always been more than just traits or aesthetics. It has been revered as divine, authoritative, and essential to life itself. In many ancient societies, to be a woman was to be a force of nature, a keeper of wisdom, and a pillar of civilization. Respect!
For Survivors , reclaiming these ancient words can be an act of healing. They remind us that long before society tried to wrestle womanhood away from Mother Nature, the essence of womanhood was recognized as powerful, sacred, and limitless.
As we move forward, let’s continue to honor and uplift the language of our ancestors. Words have power, and the words we choose to define ourselves can shape how we see our strength, resilience, and future.
Have the courage to embrace your power.
12 Reasons Black Women Have Always Needed Womanism and Feminism
Naming the Chains: Understanding Misogyny, Gynophobia, Sexism, and Patriarchy
The Four Pillars of Oppression: Misogyny, Gynophobia, Sexism, and Patriarchy
When Men Define Womanhood: The Power, The Harm, and The Resistance
