The celebration of mothers and mother figures has come to be seen as a holiday built on commercialization, but it has roots in cultures around the world that can be traced back hundreds, if not thousands of years, to societies that were matriarchal and/or held women on equal footing as men. Many of these societies had their own form of the Mother Goddess, figures that represent and/or personify nature, motherhood, fertility, creation, destruction and who embody the bounty of the Earth.
Though many western religions have done away with or downplayed their Mother Goddess figures, they are still integral parts of religions and cultures originating in other parts of the world; many of these figure's legends, lore and symbolisms have traveled throughout the world, capturing interest wherever they go. These mother figures honor the goddess energy embedded within all women and, as you learn about them, you'll likely recognize some of their traits within yourself. In them, you may even be able to see your own mother. Read more.
The Naga people of Northeast India and Northwest Burma are comprised of a conglomeration of different tribes, united under the “Naga” name to distinguish themselves as a unique political and cultural society within the border of other nations. Though little is known about the origins and history of the Naga people, the jewelry and beadwork for which they are known have been considered by some scholars to be the “most beautiful, elaborate ornamentations of any tribal culture”. For the Naga, their ornamentations are not mere decoration – they’re a part of the wearer’s identity and that of the tribe to which the wearer belongs.