Defining "matricentric" culture
Comparing/Contrasting Minoan and Celtic Cultures
The "Celts" ~ The "Minoans"

Cycle III Activity What does my comparison/contrast study of "Minoan" and "Celtic" cultures mean, in terms of creating Matricentric Religion"? Consider:

• feminism
  Feminism is a 20th century concept, so I can't say that either of the cultures I studied spoke to me directly about the place of a feminist perspective or value within matricentric religion. However, a feminist perspect is a necessary component of a contemporary matricentric culture, because it teaches us that there are other ways of being, and of organizing ourselves, than the patriarchal, top-down, oppressor-oppressed systems that we embody in our thoughts and behaviors. Feminism illuminates the problems with the patriarchal perspectives and cultural ethics and makes it clear that patriarchy is not just something "out there" to be overcome, but that it is also something inside all of us, even those of us who call ourselves feminists, and that we have to be actively unlearning patriarchy or it will continue to exercise its grip on all we are and all we do.
• tribe (Celts) vs. community (Minoan)
  This strikes me as the most important element for consideration, given my studies of these cultures and my experiences with individuals and groups practicing what they hope is matricentric religion. What I see happening in the contemporary Goddess Movement is something that looks more like a culture of warring/competing clans than a culture identified as inclusive of all who love Goddess (both within women-only groups and also within the greater neopagan population).
  • "The advent of affluent village life with communities splitting into clans may have heralded the first wars, suggests archeological analysis of ancient Mexico. Raiding between early Mexican villages began about the same time that villagers began splitting into subgroups, says anthropologist Joyce Marcus of the University of Michigan. And over the next 1200 years this escalated to full-scale warfare.
    Her findings, from the Valley of Oaxaca in Mexico, support a theory that raiding -- a prelude to war -- began in segmented societies with rich resources. Conflict originated in prehistory, but it has been hard to trace its evolution from individual homicides through group raids, to full-scale warfare. Some believe that group conflict originates in marginal environments, where people are struggling for resources.
    But group violence was rare in unsegmented hunter-gatherer societies, says Raymond Kelly, also at Michigan. The critical factor for the origins of war was the splitting of communities into clans which acted against each other, Marcus believes. But importantly, this happened also while living in an environment rich enough that, Kelly says, they 'can afford to have enemies for neighbours'." (Source: Early Villages Hold the Key to War)
• religion and spirituality
  Both cultures studied had highly developed religious and spiritual systems. In Celtic religion, the power of the goddess is living, though diminished. In Minoan religion, there is no mention or evidence of a male-embodied or male-conceived deity until the time of patriarchal influence. It's important to note, however, that the male in Minoan culture and religious practice is not neglected. Clearly, a matricentric religion needs a goddess, or goddesses, as the primary religious and spiritual symbol. I suspect that matricentric religion needs to idea of male deity, if it can convey and practice a worldview that includes men within the definition of woman & her family/goddess & her family. There is evidence of both organized religion and personal spiritual practice in both cultures studied, and matricentric religion needs to find a way to balance and value both of these.
• language
  Though we haven't yet deciphered the language of the Minoans, we know that Celtic language is a patriarchal (i.e., Indo-European) language. If we want to have a matricentric religion, we're going to have to do a lot of work at making our language more matricentric. For example, I've recently involved in a feminist organization grappling with the fact that its inclusivity is not really inclusive, because it allows for all to participate, no matter their skills or abilities, but it doesn't allow for those with "excellent/advanced/superior" (see the problem with language) to participate at their level, or be stimulated to expand their current skills. We could not even find an inoffensive way to talk about this problem, because all of our language frames things in terms of good/bad, superior/inferior/, excellent/mediocre, etc.
• art
  Both cultures studied had highly developed art skills and esthetics, and the place of art-making in their religions is well-documented (think of the gold objects sacrificed by the Celts in bodies of water, and the religious statuary and tools of the Minoans). The role of art and art-making seems to be a desireable, and probably necessary aspect of matricentric religion. Art is a reflection of the world and worldview, both all that is without and all that is within.
• commerce
  Contemporary matricentric religion is probably less developed in this aspect than in any other, in comparison with ancient matricentric religions. We have to find a way to create sustainable, earth-based (and earth-revering) economic systems that support and grow our communities if our religion is to flourish.
• gendered decision-making
  In both cultures studied, women had important roles in the decision-making of the clans, tribes, and communities. In Celtic cultures, that role was sometimes stronger, sometimes weaker, depending on a number of variables. In Minoan culture, that role seems to have been prominent in all but the patriarchal times. Paula Gunn Allen and others make it clear that true matricentric cultures expect women to take leading roles in decision-making, either in concert with men, or as the ultimate decision-makers because of their role as progenitors, nurturers and protectors of the people. In contemporary matricentric religion, we've got challenges to meet in this area. Polarity-principled pagans need to truly embody their beliefs and make sure that there is true gender balance in all areas of their lives, not just in their religious rites. Female-only circles and groups need to find ways to account for women's distrust of women, deeply ingrained because of patriarchy, while also encouraging women to trust each other and to trust those who take leadership in aspects of their lives.
• traditions
  All religions are built on traditions. Contemporary matricentric religion is still in its infancy. We need to look carefully at our spiritual, religious and communal practices and determine which serve us, and which serve the patriarchy, and make good decisions based on these determinations.