Tag Archives: midwife

Sacred Malva

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According to my Father, malva sylvestris (common mallow) was my great-grandmother, the Strega’s, favorite herb. He fondly remembers her gathering malva. On a recent trip to Italy, I was happy to find malva in an herb store in its dry … Continue reading →

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Radical Sexual Surgeries and the Systematic Elimination of Midwifery and Wisewoman Ways

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Radical Sexual Surgeries In the late 1800s and early 1900s, the surgeries that are called “Oophorectomy” and “normal ovariotomy” became very popular in the United States. Between 1873 to the early 1900s this surgery, which removed healthy ovaries  — also … Continue reading →

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My Great Grandmother was a Strega

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My Great Grandmother, Domenica Colella, was a Strega, a wisewoman, healer, witch, midwife, soothsayer of the Italian Mountain Village tradition. I grew up hearing stories about my Great Grandmother and her abilities: her knowledge of the plants, evil eye rituals … Continue reading →

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