Starhawk, the world-famous feminist, uncovered hidden parts of women’s history through speaking and leading a spiral dance last night.

“People need to focus more on the positive and what comes naturally to them and accept themselves more openly than our society right now expects of us,” said Katie Bretz, freshman music performance and German major.

Bretz said that she feels our society is headed in the wrong direction, and it’s nice to hear somebody say it was not always the way it is now, it does not have to be this way and it is fixable.

“I think it’s empowering for women to know that we haven’t always been down-trodden, we haven’t always been victims and we don’t have to be,” Starhawk said.

She said the goddess-centered, life-centered cultures are at the root of western culture and civilization. Some people believe that health care should be accessible to everyone, which has a connection to the pagan view of society.

“If we really believe our bodies are sacred and that everybody’s bodies are sacred and that we have this sacred and immoral responsibility to help people who are sick and to take care of one another and to provide healing, I think we would be having a really different discussion about doing that in this country,” Starhawk said.

The Women’s Liberation Collective and Anti-racist action co-sponsored the event. According to Andrew Ruminas, senior biology major, they are all supporting the struggle for women’s liberation, and that other students can learn more about it by listening to Starhawk.

“She’s amazing, one of the most well known pagan high priestesses in the world,” said Beth Vild, member of the Women’s Liberation Collective. “This is kind of a once in a lifetime opportunity to see her in the Midwest because she travels all around the world.”

Even though Starhawk is a world traveler, the short journey the attendees made from the Kiva to Risman Plaza turned paganism into activism. Once outside, everyone linked arms, which helps renewal and regeneration according to Starhawk’s video that explained the ritual. Starhawk led a chant and walked to the beat of drums in a spiral dance, which was created by pagans in San Francisco 30 years ago.

“If we allow ourselves to get in touch with our own wild self, with our own deepest instincts, to connect with one another and with nature, if we reach out to one another and we honor one another and we make those connections and if we are willing to let people think we might be a little wild and crazy -don’t let that deter you- then you can get in touch with your own inner wild woman, wild man, wild whatever you are,” Starhawk said. “When we do that, then we have some hope of actually honoring and healing this beautiful world that we all live in.”

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