The US is poised to elect a woman as President and leader of the free world. There’ve been countless female rulers throughout history, many noted for fierce and effective leadership.
Today’s female leaders are accomplished innovators and role models.
Today’s female leaders are accomplished innovators and role models.
However, as fellow writer and mythologist Monica Frederick points out, ancient myths of “strongman” leadership die hard. She compares Donald Trump’s racist lies about Haitian immigrants during the recent debate to the Mesopotamian Epic of Gilgamesh. “In this tale, the hero Gilgamesh seeks to kill Humbaba, a being portrayed as monstrous. However, Humbaba is ultimately just the guardian of his native land, the Cedar Forest, fulfilling the gods’ decree by staying within his domain.” Gilgamesh casts Humbaba as a threat he must eliminate, similar to the demonizing of Native Americans in America’s so-called Westward Expansion—and Donald Trump scapegoating migrants as evil, pet-eating criminals. |
Not all myths of male leadership involve creating monsters to fight.
Prometheus sacrificed himself to bring the gift of fire to humanity (or the art of forging metal in the original myth of Amirani); Jesus and the Buddha are generally considered nonviolent male deities. There are also many real-life male leaders who rejected “strongman” bluster: Martin Luther King, Jr.; Nelson Mandela; Mahatma Gandhi. |
There are also powerful myths of female leadership that offer an antidote to toxic male bullying.
For example, Hi'iaka is a Hawaiian heroine goddess who went on an epic journey to unite the volcano goddess Pele with her beloved. "During this long and dangerous trip, Hi'iaka realizes her own powers as a goddess. She is the healer of land. Pele creates new land and Hi'iaka follows by healing the land, making it fertile and causing things to grow.”
In the legend, Pele fell in love with a young chief named Lohi'au. Hi'iaka volunteered to go on the dangerous journey to retrieve him.
Hi'iaka was endowed with 'Awihikalani (a critical eye), 'Ka lima ikaika' (strength), and Pa'u uila (lightning skirt, referring to the autonomy of supernatural women in Hawai'i, who were not ruled by male gods).
For example, Hi'iaka is a Hawaiian heroine goddess who went on an epic journey to unite the volcano goddess Pele with her beloved. "During this long and dangerous trip, Hi'iaka realizes her own powers as a goddess. She is the healer of land. Pele creates new land and Hi'iaka follows by healing the land, making it fertile and causing things to grow.”
In the legend, Pele fell in love with a young chief named Lohi'au. Hi'iaka volunteered to go on the dangerous journey to retrieve him.
Hi'iaka was endowed with 'Awihikalani (a critical eye), 'Ka lima ikaika' (strength), and Pa'u uila (lightning skirt, referring to the autonomy of supernatural women in Hawai'i, who were not ruled by male gods).
Hi'iaka's journey was filled with many adventures, and she overcame numerous kupua (demons) and mo'o (monsters) of the island forests. These trials helped strengthen her resolve. When at last Hi'iaka reached Kaua'i she found that the young chief Lohi'au had died. She revived him with chanting and prayer, but Pele, fearing that Hi'iaka had betrayed her and was keeping the handsome chief for herself, sent waves of lava at them. Hi'iaka was unharmed, but Lohi'au was killed by the lava. Again, Hi'iaka revived him, thus bringing him back to life twice. |
The Egyptian goddess Isis also models strong female leadership. Her name means “throne,” indicating her embodiment of sovereignty.
A goddess-queen since at least 3000 BCE, during the Roman Empire her worship spread from England to Afghanistan. She is still a popular goddess among modern Neopagans five thousand years later.
A goddess-queen since at least 3000 BCE, during the Roman Empire her worship spread from England to Afghanistan. She is still a popular goddess among modern Neopagans five thousand years later.
According to Janet and Stuart Farrar, she was known as Aset among the Egyptians. Her most famous myth involved finding and reanimating the corpse of her beloved brother-consort Osiris after he was killed and dismembered by their brother Set. Twice Set murdered Osiris and scattered his remains, and both times Isis mourned her lost love, gathered his desecrated corpse, and brought him back to life. In this myth, Set represented the destructive desert threatening the fruitful union of the Nile River and the fertile land surrounding it. Osiris was a resurrected vegetation god, regenerated by the tears of Isis in the form of the Nile’s annual flooding. Isis was a “compassionate motherly goddess who understood suffering from her own experience” after losing her beloved Osiris; she therefore could be counted on to answer prayers. |
The myth of Isis finding and resurrecting Osiris was a core belief in Egyptian religion. Pharaohs were likened to Horus, the divine child of Isis and Osiris. The sacred journey, grief, and ultimate triumph of the goddess Isis restoring Osiris to life were celebrated in holy days during the Nile’s annual flooding.
The Book of Goddesses and Heroines describes her agonized search:
“The mourning goddess cut off her hair and tore her robes, wailing in grief.”
Elizabeth Hallam, Ph.D. says: “As divine ruler of Egypt, she introduced marriage, and taught the people to make bread, spin, weave, and cure disease. She was usually portrayed in human form, suckling the infant Horus," her son by Osiris.
The Book of Goddesses and Heroines describes her agonized search:
“The mourning goddess cut off her hair and tore her robes, wailing in grief.”
Elizabeth Hallam, Ph.D. says: “As divine ruler of Egypt, she introduced marriage, and taught the people to make bread, spin, weave, and cure disease. She was usually portrayed in human form, suckling the infant Horus," her son by Osiris.
“It is I who made justice stronger than wealth, and I who designed penalties for evil. It is I who first created mercy, and I who metes it out. I am the queen of earth and wind and sea, queen of the thunder, queen of the sun. Only I can overcome fate. Only I can overcome death.” —Song of Isis “The gods above adore her, the gods below adore her. She sets the heavens spinning round the pole. She lights the sun and orders all the universe. Everything serves her: birds in the air, beasts upon the mountain, serpents in the dust, all tremble in awe of the great good goddess.” —Apelius “Goddess, comforter, holy one, you nourish the world from your bounty. You are like our mother, turning to us whenever we are troubled. You are the only one who can untangle fate’s knotted skein, you are the only one who can disperse the storms of life and of the sky.” —Apelius |
“You will be happy always, under my protection, and when your destined death comes to you, you will be happy in the afterworld as well, because you have known me. When you die, you will see another side of me: queen of death, as I am now queen of life, shining in the darkness then with a light as strong and gentle as this light which shines upon you now.” —Apelius
The Women’s Encyclopedia of Myths and Secrets quotes this Egyptian liturgy: “Thou givest life unto the flocks and herds… Thou art the bringer of food, thou art the mighty one of meat and drink, and thou art the creator of all things. Thou fillest the storehouses, thou heapest high with corn the granaries, and thou has cared for the poor and needy.” Caring for the most vulnerable and providing abundance are worthy attributes of any leader, and ones our next president will embody if we are mindful voters. |
The “strongman” myth would have Isis confront and vanquish Set, a common theme typified by warrior goddesses. Instead, Isis uses her magical power to restore life.
When I watched the presidential debate (on 9/10/24), I wondered why Vice President Harris didn’t confront Donald Trump’s meanspirited lies directly. Like Hi'iaka, she used her "critical eye" to discern her opponent's weakness and like Isis, she focused on a life-affirming message of abundance and hope.
If myths of strong female leadership are to prevail this election, Vice President Harris will need to draw on the courage and perserverance of both Hi'iaki and Isis to forge her path to victory.
When I watched the presidential debate (on 9/10/24), I wondered why Vice President Harris didn’t confront Donald Trump’s meanspirited lies directly. Like Hi'iaka, she used her "critical eye" to discern her opponent's weakness and like Isis, she focused on a life-affirming message of abundance and hope.
If myths of strong female leadership are to prevail this election, Vice President Harris will need to draw on the courage and perserverance of both Hi'iaki and Isis to forge her path to victory.