When The Doves Fly: Oracle Traditions of African Women

The African Origin of the Ancient Greek Oracles & Modern Politics of Power and Gender

“Two black doves [came] flying from Thebes in Egypt, one to Libya and one to Dodona; the latter settled on an oak tree, and there uttered human speech, declaring that a place of divination from Zeus must be made there; the people of Dodona understood that the message was divine, and therefore established the oracular shrine. The dove which came to Libya told the Libyans (they say) to make an oracle of Ammon; this also is sacred to Zeus. Such was the story told by the Dodonaean priestesses, the eldest of whom was Promeneia and the next Timarete and the youngest Nicandra; and the rest of the servants of the temple at Dodona similarly held it true.”    

                              - Herotodus, the Greek Father of History

The Furies of ancient Greek mythology were based on far older secret societies comprised of African women who had the same social roles and functions as they did over in the Aegean.

The Furies of the Hellenistic world were somewhat of a moralistic  police force utilizing nature spirits. They punished men who transgressed laws by breaking oaths and internal taboos.

According to the ancient GreekS themselves, the Furies were women with coal-black skin and serpents for hair. In other words, they were Black women with dreadlocks. I will talk about Medusa later.