The T in the acronym GLBTQ stands not only for the Transgender community but also for the Two Spirit community. It is a name chosen by today's North American aboriginal cultures. They believe that most people have One Spirit in them -- male or female. But some people have a Two Spirit nature -- both male and female -- which expresses itself in various ways. The single term Two Spirit includes all gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender experience.
There is a long tradition of Two Spirit people in many aboriginal cultures. Often, Two Spirit people were both respected and feared by their tribes. Their ability to incorporate both genders made them powerful and mysterious. Some women took a hunter/warrior role and married women. Some men dressed as women and became skilled in cooking, weaving, singing and pottery. Others became nurses, healers or shamans.
Their situation changed for the worse when Christianity gained power in aboriginal communities. Two Spirit people were soon called "berdaches" (male prostitutes) and actively discouraged by the missionaries. Two Spirit people became burdened with the Christian legacy of hate and shame.
But like all GLBTQ people, the Two Spirit community is today healing itself and taking back its power. Two Spirit people have discarded hateful labels and renamed themselves. They have repudiated hateful teachings and rediscovered their own cultural truths.
6:30 AM and I've already learned something new! And once again, religion has a lot to answer for.
ReplyDeleteThose photographs are haunting. Thank you for sharing this! Lois.
ReplyDeletethis was extremely interesting, Debs!
ReplyDeleteWow, I never knew that about Spirit People. Thanks for takin' me to school, very interesting.
ReplyDeleteHere's to Twp Spirit people!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThat was a good read
ReplyDeleteI have always thought the term *two spirits* was so accurate and open and encompassing.
ReplyDeleteHaving done some history on the first nations was when I originally came across the term.
It is beautiful.
And yes, *well meaning* missionaries have a lot to answer for, not only in the Two Spirit community but in a greater community as a whole.
I always hope my footsteps are light enough to begin that change.
XXOO~~
Anne
I am SO GLAD you wrote on this subject. All too often the subject of Two Spirit people is ignored or glanced over by those who write or speak about GLBTQ people in aboriginal cultures. :0)
ReplyDeleteHaving studied the Native cultures a lot, both in their Spiritual Paths, and their societal structures, I already knew this, and was in turn, both heartened by how they revered their people for who they were, and dismayed when outside influences could turn the tides so drastically.
ReplyDeleteIt is with a huge sigh of relief to me, that they are recognizing the wrongs that were put upon them by outsiders, and are claiming their rightful place among their people.
And thank you for sharing this not to well known bit of history, and the wonderful photographs!
It sure would have been nice if all of those missionaries had just stayed home where they belonged.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting post. Thanks for teaching me something new.
ReplyDeleteMary
We can learn something new, every day!
ReplyDeleteIn the United States, whole tribal peoples were wiped out because they were trying to protect Two-Spirit Medicine people.
ReplyDeleteHave you ever read the book Another Mother Tongue? It's gay history and I highly recommend it. At least one piece in there about this (I think by or with the late, great Paula Gunn Allen who also wrote Sacred Hoops, also recommended.)
Thanks for sharing that nice piece of information, first time I hear about two-spirit people.
ReplyDeleteThat is one of the most beautiful insights and looks at sexuality, gender roles and spirituality of who people are down in the spirits, regardless of their sexual orientation, Debra. I've read books about and by N. Americans who talk about "The Two Spirit People" Shamans and have always wished that our homophobic culture would really learn a good lesson about how love expresses itself in all forms and gain a new appreciation.
ReplyDeleteThank you Debra :)
I've always thought that what some people found to hate in another, was nothing more than something they hated about themselves. Somehow it became wrong to genuinely just love one another regardless of gender. To love another man or another woman is in itself so wonderful... it amazes me that people could find offense in it. Not to mention the hurt it cause those that choose differently. And then who is it to say it is different...when in fact it should be natural...because it is in fact all love, and isn't that what we are all here to strive for.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful post...very informative.
i'm sorry to say that i went to the same school as freddie martinez, the subject of the documentary "Two Spirits".
ReplyDeleteI've always found the missionary approach of 'but we're just helping these obvious savages to become more civilized' breaks apart right about the time they get asked how they know that these people are savages. The answer of 'because they're not like us' just doesn't work for me. Centuries of christian borg like assaults on the world have done so much damage to so many. It is fantastic that some of these cultures are taking their heritage back.
ReplyDeleteThat was a great post. One of the many reasons I visit here....learning. And you are a great teacher. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteCheers!
the pictures are wonderful and the story of 2 spirits is fantastic..I never knew that...and sorry I didn't..will have to read up more on it..thanks so much for this..you rock.
ReplyDeleteThis is a truly wonderful post, Debra. I was not aware of two spirit people, thanks so much!
ReplyDeleteDebra this is so beautiful...I love this term you have introduced to me...Two Spirit People...wow!
ReplyDeleteFascinating. Thanks for sharing this.
ReplyDeleteDebra, thank you. What a lovely,lovely post. I had no idea and yet it seems silly in hindishgt to not have had an inkling. I feel like my heart has opened up some more, Two Spirit People...that makes me want to cry from the tenderness of what those words mean.
ReplyDeleteanother civilization torn apart in the name of relgion,, so sad.I never knew this,,its a beautiful meaning ,, I wish this was more openly spoke of,, its a beautiful description,,more people need to hear this,,
ReplyDeleteoh, I forgot,, I came here to thank you for your visit,, I got carried away in this post,,
ReplyDeleteexcellent... but for one thing, deb... SHAMAN is NOT a native american term, they were called MEDICINE MEN or MEDICINE WOMEN:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.angelfire.com/electronic/awakening101/not_shamans.html
Shaman is a term from across the pond, mostly european and/or siberian....
There is a special on PBS about this that I didn't dvr for some reason, but will when it's on again. I showed this post to my son who really connected with it (especially as we both have a smidgen of Chiricahua ancestry.) My heart aches for all the indigenous people who have had their cultures destroyed in the name of religion, but there is a special place in my heart for the Native Americans.
ReplyDeleteI am very glad to have finally found your blog and started following. This is an extremely moving post on many levels. For those whose paths are different from the so-called mainstream, the "shame" or "evil" or "hatred" placed upon them is hideous, and it is heartening to learn of those who are overcoming and hopefully flourishing.
ReplyDeleteInteresting post....Debra.
ReplyDeleteJo
I've always thought that Two Spirited is one of the most accurate ways of describing LGBT sexuality. How beautiful!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely awesomely great!! How have I never heard of this? Why WHY do people think it's ok to shove their beliefs down someone else's throat. Narrow minded (bleeps). :)
ReplyDeleteBy the way, THANKS for all your cool comments to my blog. You totally rock.
How cool. I find that fascinating about Two Spirit people. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear that Two Spirit people are 'taking' back their identity.
ReplyDeleteWatched 'The Naked Civil Servant' last night. Blew me away! The courage Quentin Crisp had was phenomenal. Thanks for 'suggesting' it Debra!
Wow - Two Spirit people - what a bloody brilliant name - thank you for another great thread Deb. Fascinating.
ReplyDeleteSo often when I come here, you just blow my mind wide open in another new direction with new info for me. Thank you, dear one! Two Spirit people: really, it's just as simple as that, isn't it? Native people didn't have their minds all cluttered up with centuries of really stupid stuff; they lived according to the rhythms of nature; as simple as that. My dad is Apache, so I'm fascinated with anything Native American. There was a movie back in the 70s (A Man Called Horse? Little Big Man?) that included a Two Spirit medicine man; a wonderful character, especially for being 30 years ago.
ReplyDeleteThank you, thank you for your teaching. I bow.