Women Of Glorius Past

While writing this piece, we retained an iconic line written by Abigail Adams in 1776, “I Desire You Would Remember The Ladies”. However, when we visit any major cities in the world, what do we see? Peering past the busy street, delectable cuisines, tall buildings, and masses of pedestrians, we are likely to stumble upon at least one statue or monument devoted to a man. When we read history, either in books or an exhibit, who are we reading about, and who wrote it? The ideal answer for both would be, a man. So, the question now is where are all the women? The historical contributions and attainments of women’s are honoured with monuments, statues and museums, but at radically lower rates than men’s. Though they may be few and far between, our world is home to numerous spaces that put women in the spotlight. In order to celebrate our empowerment issue and mark the arrival of World History Month, we are covering a few monuments and places that showcase women’s participation and accomplishments. So, let’s start your herstory journey now.

1. Women Of Kassope, Greece: In Zalongo, the northwestern part of Greece lies a splendid monument enshrined to the Women of Kassope. It was designed by the great sculptor Zogolopoulos and represents the ‘Dance of Zalogos’. He carved this masterpiece right above the hill, on the very rocks where the Souliot women along with their children committed suicide, not letting the men of the Turk Ali Pasha catch them. Souli was then one of the four small villages in Thesprotia, a nome of Greece, who chose to free themselves from the Ottoman Yoke and live in the nest of mountains.

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2. The Valiant Five Statue, Canada: The journey to political empowerment in Canada has its own fascinating story. In the year 1927, five women named Emily Murphy, Irene Marryat Parlby, Nellie Mooney McClung, Louise Crummy McKinney and Henrietta Muir Edwards petitioned the Supreme Court of Canada if “the word ‘Persons’ mentioned in section 24 of the British North America Act,1867, include female persons?” The Supreme Court ruled that it did not include females, however, the ruling was overturned by the British Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. Their strong and bold step dubbed them as The Famous Five or The Valiant Five in history. The Ottawa monument and the version in Calgary, capital of their home province of Alberta catches a fancied and larger than life celebration by the famous five, completed with a newspaper reading the headline of the day: We are Persons!

3. Joan Of Arc, France: With supreme guidance, she charged into the battle, this French warrior lead the French Army to a number of major victories against the hundred years war with the British. With her aggressive style and bold battle actions, she became an emblematic figure in French history and their best known medieval heroine. Wounded more than once, she was caught on the battlefield in Marigny in the year 1430 and eventually burned at the stake as a heretic, at the age of 19. Although 24 years later the Holy See found her innocent and declared her a martyr. The bequest of Joan of Arc has proved enduring, if not expanding, and in 1874, Napolean III appointed Daniel Fremiet to build a statue of her in Paris at the Place des Pyramides, near where she was injured in battle. Among the many sculptures of this young French Saint, this one is a captivating 13-foot, gilded bronze piece showing her astride her horse, holding her war banner.

4. Block Of Women, Berlin: We use to believe that it was impossible for Germans to withstand the Nazi dictatorship and the exiles of Jewish people, however, the protest of 1943 changed the story and proved that resistance was possible and could be victorious. We are talking about the Rosenstrasse Protest, in which hundreds of defenceless German women stood day and night for a week doing something unheard in the Nazi’s history. They stood close to Gestapo agents loaded with machine guns and asked the release of their Jewish husbands that were captured by the army. Their strength, motivations and passion prevailed over the Nazi regime and inspired the German sculptor, Ingeborg Hunzinger to create the Rosenstrasse monument in the 80s. It is located in a park near the old Jewish quarter of Berlin and comprised of a group of sculptures commemorating the German women’s who refused to abandon their men in the face of imminent death.

5. Edith Dircksey Cowan Memorial, Australia: A woman who worked hard in the effort to pass the 1920 legislation to open Parliament to ladies, Edith Cowan was the established champion of women’s and children’s issues. Famed for her work for the Red Cross during WWI and her engagement with the National Council of Women and Children’s Protection Society, she won her seat in the 1921 State Election to represent West Perth in the Legislative Assembly. Being the first female in any of Australia’s Parliaments, she continued her groundbreaking ways to help enact legislation that opened the legal profession to women. Her role in the making of Australian history is signified by an elegant clock tower, that stands roughly 20 feet tall at the entrance to King’s Park. Sculpted in 1934, the statue itself is marvellous as it is believed to be the first civic monument built to honour a woman in Australia.

6. The Swing Low Statue, New York: In the era of slavery, freedom for many came via the underground railroads, and for ten years Harriet Tubman, a conductor, lead more than 300 slaves north to freedom travelling under the cover of night. She was an escaped slave herself and risked her safety and liberty with each frightening trip. In 1856, there was a $40,000 bounty on her head, but that did not stop her from continuing her forays until 1860. Often called the Moses of her people, she served as a cook and even a spy for the Union during the Civil Wars. Her bravery can be seen charging steadfastly forward in a 10-foot tall bronze statue, titled “Swing Low” in New York’s Harlem neighbourhood.