News

Saturday, March 29, 2025, Westward Look Inn, Tucson AZ

Sarasvati Special Recognition for Best Visionary Book:CIDICER

for Tona Inna, the mysterious light of the sea in the Caribbean, by Maria Suarez

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The Sarasvati Awards Committee has chosen to issue a Special Recognition for a Visionary Book to CIDICER for Tona Inna, the mysterious light of the sea in the Caribbean, by Maria Suarez Toro. This book highlights African and Caribbean myths, and a knowledge of the powers of the sea, in order to inspire new generations to understand Costa Rica’s history and the future of its youth.

The letter of recognition was written by Verónica Iglesias, MA, a long-time ASWM member, curandera, and co-author of The Jade Oracle. The English translation of her letter says in part:

From the pen of María Suárez we travel through the Caribbean from ancient times, when the indigenous people were the only ones who reigned and existed in the territory, and then we also learn about part of the history of colonization, and later the arrival of people brought by force from Africa through two ships, mainly whose shipwreck brought these enslaved people to the coasts of Costa Rica.

This book has taken me to the Caribbean, specifically the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica, and has made me travel in time learning about those indigenous groups of the area and their connection with African roots and the way in which these human beings, torn from Africa through slavery, arrived at the coasts. It has certainly been a journey of much learning.

As a woman born in Mexico, this work has made me feel part once again of the entire history of the continent, and of these issues that can sometimes still be painful. I speak of the periods of colonization and the loss of indigenous knowledge. these type of works are what allow us to heal these wounds, to remember it, to talk about it and to embrace the result of all these experiences, of why the inhabitants of this wonderful continent are who we are.

It is a wonderful work that I would love to recommend to all those who want to learn more about the history of this continent and specifically of Central America, the role of the indigenous people, the role of black history, the role of the colonizers, the role of the slave traders, all of this is part of who we are, it is part of our DNA in a certain way, so by embracing our history, we also embrace our total and complete existence, knowing that open wounds still exist  in this continent.

Saturday, March 29, 2025, Westward Look Inn, Tucson AZ

 Sarasvati Honorable Mention: Matriarchy in Bronze Age Crete: A Perspective from Archaeomythology and Modern Matriarchal Studies

The Sarasvati Awards for best Nonfiction Book in Women and Mythology were announced at ASWM’s 2025 conference. Because this year there were strong contenders for the award, the committee chose to give an Honorable Mention to Inner Traditions (Archaeopress) for Matriarchy in Bronze Age Crete: A Perspective from Archaeomythology and Modern Matriarchal Studies by Joan Marie Cichon (2022). 

The award letter reads as follows:

The following criteria were used to determine the winner of the award:

1) Communication: we considered this book to be well organized and written with a clear articulated inquiry that engages a wide array of specialist scholars in the field of Bronze Age Crete and matriarchal studies. At the same time, Chicon’s arguments are equally accessible to nonspecialists working in the fields of feminist mythological/Goddess studies.

2) Conceptual Framework: This book advances the field of feminist mythological/Goddess studies, archaeomythology, and Bronze Age Crete. Chicon expertly applies archaeomythological and matriarchal studies to reframe existing theories on the social make-up and belief systems of Bronze Age Crete, making a compelling case for the very real possibility that it was primarily matriarchal and venerated a Great Goddess.

3) Originality: Other specialist books on Bronze Age Crete tend to minimize or discredit the possibility of matriarchy and reverence for a Great Goddess out of preconceived academic biases about male-centric societal organization and worship. While other non-specialist books provide vital clues and evidence about specific aspects of goddess worship and matriarchal societal elements, Chicon’s unique background bridges both worlds. She utilizes the most up to date information from matriarchal studies and archeomothology and applies it to her decades of research on ancient Crete, making her book wholly unique. In particular, Chicon’s use of comparative mythology and linguistics to reexamine specific artworks and archeological data as evidence for their deeper symbolic meanings connected to Great Goddess worship is both refreshing and convincing.

4) Global, Ethical, and Social Awareness: this book gives evidence of Chicon’s book expanded our awareness of the regional exchange of ideas, symbolic imagery, and patterns that flowed from ancient Anatolia into Crete. She also compares examples of artworks from contemporary cultures, including Egypt and Mesopotamia, to amplify and better understand potential meanings of Cretan images. Chicon’s book seamlessly dialogues with voices from a diverse group of scholar specialists, including those who have presented ethnographic information on premodern and modern matriarchal and matrilineal societies. In doing so, Chicon gives us an alternative view of the Bronze Age, one that includes the presence of a relatively egalitarian society in which women were centered, rather than marginalized. Not only is this important in terms of reassessing human history, but it also encourages modern readers to consider the human capacity for alternate models of societal organization for the present and future.

In short, we believe this book is invaluable for interdisciplinary studies of feminist mythology, matriarchy, archaeomythology, and Bronze Age Crete. We would strongly recommend it as a resource to faculty, researchers, and general readers. We congratulate you on choosing an excellent author and producing a beautiful book.

Saturday, March 29, 2025, Westward Look Inn, Tucson AZ

2025 Sarasvati Award for Best Nonfiction Book: Oxford University Press for The Woman Who Married the Bear

The Sarasvati Award ifor best Nonfiction Book in Women and Mythology  was announced at ASWM’s 2025 conference. The winner ia Oxford University Press, for  The Woman Who Married the Bear: The Spirituality of Ancient Foremothers by Barbara Alice Mann and Kaarina Kailo (2023).

The award letter reads in part:

The following criteria were used to determine the winner of the award:

1) Communication: We found this book to be engagingly written. The distinctive voices of the authors help to ground readers in the particular narrative  traditions they are bringing forward, a call to pay attention to who is talking as well as what is being said. The authors’ fruitful collaboration brings to the text the deep knowledge from indigenous peoples of the far north in both North America and Europe in language that can be understood by both specialists and non-specialists.  

2) Conceptual Framework: This book advances the field of feminist mythological/Goddess studies, presenting both scholarly information and wonderful images to the reader. The authors do an excellent job of bringing ancient stories to light within a framework that demonstrates changes in beliefs and practices governing the relations between humans and nonhumans in ways that are relevant to how we understand the current ecological crisis we face on the planet. The many wonderful photos and drawings support the argument and enhance the reader’s understanding of the conceptual framework.

3) Originality: The research in this book offers a new perspective, bringing forward into the conversation a pieced-together cosmology surrounding the figure of the woman who married the bear, mostly  unknown outside of a few sources. The authors challenge existing linear interpretations of patriarchy and hierarchy as they demonstrate the relevance of gift economies in the past and the present.  

4) Global, Ethical, and Social Awareness: The careful research exemplifies ethical use of Traditional Ecological Knowledge. Mann and Kailo are deeply respectful of their sources, and readers gain access to new ideas that reimagine what “we” know about ancient societies in the far north. The book also provides a profound case for the importance of re-thinking the relation between the human and other-than-human for the survival of us all. 

In short, we strongly believe that this book has great value for interdisciplinary studies of myth and folklore. We strongly recommend it as a resource for faculty, researchers, and general readers.

Saturday, March 29, 2025, Westward Look Inn, Tucson AZ

Sister Speak: A Sacred Conversation among Women of Color

facilitated by Luisah Teish and Leilani Birely

We are honored that our conference keynoters, Yeye Luisah Teish and Kahuna Leilani Birely,  will guide this special session. The intention is to facilitate an authentic conversation among women of color, in which white women are invited to actively listen and learn: “There will be a circle within a circle with the women of color being the primary center circle; we will be discussing issues of importance to us. White women are invited to listen in on the conversation and to respectfully submit questions at the end of the presentation by women of color.”

We ask that women arrive on time and plan to stay for the whole session. Once the conversatioin begins, the door will close and latecomers will not be admitted, to honor the sacred space and create a time for deep speaking and listening.

Chief Iyanifa Fajembola Fatunmise also known as Yeye Luisah Teish is a writer, performance artist and Yoruba priestess. An American author of African and African-diaspora spiritual cultures, also is an affluent ritualist, keynote speaker, and spiritual advisor on a global scale. Primarily known for Jambalaya: The Natural Woman’s Book of Personal Charms and Practical Rituals, a women’s spirituality classic that has been translated into German, Spanish, and Dutch. She has co-authored has co-authored On Holy Ground: Commitment and Devotion to Sacred Lands with Leilani Birely. She has contributed to 40 anthologies, and her essays, artwork and poetry appear in such publications as Essence, Ms, and Coreopsis: Journal of Myth and Theater. As an Oshun priestess (Yoruba Goddess of Love and Sensuality), Yeye continues to officiate over spiritual retreats, rituals, and workshops that span over forty years since her introduction into the Ifa spiritual practice.  Teish has said, “My tradition is very celebratory – there’s always music, dance, song, and food in our services – as well as a sense of reverence for the children. It’s joyful as well as meditative.”

Leilani Birely is a Native Hawaiian Kahuna and Dianic High Priestess who brings ancient Hawaiian healing and Goddess wisdom to the community. Kahuna Leilani brings forth teachings of the Aloha Spirit through Hula, Ceremony, Performance, Writing and Ritual. She is the founder/ritual director of Daughters of the Goddess Women’s Temple in the San Francisco Bay Area an international community of women dedicated to She of 10,000 names and Multicultural Women’s Mysteries. She has her Master’s in Women’s Spirituality from New College of San Francisco.  She has lectured at the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology, Dominican University and the California Institute of Integral Studies. Leilani has co-authored the book, On Holy Ground: Commitment and Devotion to Sacred Lands with Luisah Teish. She is included in anthologies Shades of Faith: Minority Voices in Paganism and Stepping into Ourselves: An Anthology of Writings on Priestesses.

Read all about the ASWM Conference and register  here.