LIVE EVENT:
WHEN: SUNDAY 20TH MARCH AT 3PM with live Zoom Q&A's scheduled for 5pm for International Enrolees.
WHERE: UPSTAIRS IN THE PASSIONFRUIT SALON - 404 Bridge Rd Richmond, Vic, 3121
STREAMED EVENT:
WHEN: This 'virtual event' will be released simultaneously on Sunday 20th March with live zoom Q&A's at 5PM Melbourne time on Sunday 20th March 2021. Recorded live for International attendees and those outside Melbourne or unable to attend in person. Pre-recorded by Anne for streaming.
THE TALK
From ancient mythology to Biblical era, women and snakes have been combined in stories around sexuality and consciousness, or rather a sexual knowingness.
Slithering around that sexual knowingness – was notions of sinfulness, shaming and blaming. Archaeologist and sex historian Anne O Nomis speaks about the ideas she picked up from her childhood and religion taught to her, in which women were cast as the source of “original sin” connected through Biblical Eve who listened to the serpent and tempted Adam to eat the fruit from the tree of knowledge. In doing so, they were to gain an awareness of their own nakedness, with its sexuality, and shame, and were cast out from Paradise and the Garden of Eden.
Or so many of us were taught. However Anne will take us on a different journey through history.
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Where did the doctrine of "original sin" come from, and how does it turn out to be a mistranslation? (Hint: The doctrine of original sin came centuries after the bible - Augustine of Hippo - and is based on a mistranslation of Paul the Apostle's Epistle to the Romans).
- What was Augustine's regret from his youth, and what is "corncupiscence"?
- What was the origins of the choice of Eve's name, and how does it relate to the snake and the Goddess?
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Who were the ancient Goddesses of the ancient world who were associated with snakes?
With a wonderful Powerpoint presentation of images and artifacts gathered from museums and sites around the world, Anne will discuss:
- Famous Minoan snake Goddesses from Crete (which inspired her boobs-out outfit worn for the talk) and discussions about whether these were from a matrilineal culture
- The Goddess Qedesh and her synthesis with other Goddesses (to create a triple Goddess)
- The Mistress of Animals (later Potnia Theron) depicted with snakes alongside other animals demonstrating mastery or rather Mistressery
- The many Egyptian Goddesses associated with "Eye of Ra" and cobra, with four snakes looking out in the cardinal directions as guardians.
- The myth of Medusa and snakes, and feminist re-readings of the myth in a #MeToo era
Anne discusses how through the ages women have been depicted with snakes has been a symbol of the power of life and regeneration, of sexuality, of truth-seeing and boundary protection.
Lastly Anne will open up a Q&As to answer questions attendees may have.
