Strength and Resistance à la Woman

Permaculture Womens Guild

Learning a new way of living from an elder Iranian farmer By Kali Morgan Of late, I have been consumed by the stories of strong, bold, warrior-spirited women of long ago, like Queen Tomyris of the Massagetae of Central Asia (who may or may not have killed Cyrus) and the more well-known Judith of ancient Israel (who decapitated Holofernes). Imagery such as the statue pictured above, in which the mother-protector holds a bowl of wine in one hand and a sword in the other, are powerful symbols. These women, in their passionate fight against injustice and oppression, have influenced me as…

Quarantine is my Refining Fire

Permaculture Womens Guild

There’s no time like the present to deal with put-off problems. By Kali Morgan It’s ironic that coronavirus showed its ugly face right at the time when most Iranians are in the middle of khooneh tekooni, or the annual ‘house-shaking’. It’s a period of extreme deep-cleaning before the Persian New Year (which coincides with the Spring Equinox). You must be ready for the new year, be your best self, and be ready for loads of guests at any time! I had been cleaning a little too, but as the pandemic hit before the new year, I also felt the communal…