by KamiJo Whiteclay
Have you conquered the world? Or has the world conquered you? Questions raced through her mind like a relay horse racing down the track. As she gazed into the mirror, she saw a stranger, unrecognizable, but vaguely familiar. Staring back at her with eyes red from sorrow, the stranger spoke, ”Who are you?” The answer was lost in despair. In a dream, she saw a vision. Thousands of thundering voices echoed in her ears. She awoke from the call of her ancestors. They told her to wear moccasins so she can feel Mother Earth’s body beneath the souls of her feet. They urged her to braid her long tresses to keep her sacred medicine contained. They advised her to enter the sweat bath to replenish her mind, body, and soul. Their words gave her strength, and she did what she was told. After completing these tasks, she stood in that exact same mirror. This time she saw herself standing beside her ancestors. She stood with dignity. Coursing through her veins—the blood of warriors. Looking at her reflection, she proclaimed, “I am a woman. A woman who is free. My ancestors fought on this land for me. So, I can stand here and tell you that a Woman Warrior is in me.”