Hunter-gatherers are hugely aware of the significance of first menstruation. It stands as an organising principle in cosmology, and the ceremony around it is more memorable for the girls themselves than any form of so-called marriage.
This study claims 'onset of menarche, largely independent of timing and socio-environmental factors, preceded a significant spike in internalizing symptoms, while altering the rate of ongoing structural brain development'.
Independent of socio- environmental factors? And yet hunting and Indigenous peoples very deliberately furnish special space and time for a #menarcheal girl to collect her powerful 'thoughts'. This is intergenerational guidance and protection which, if proper care and attention is given, imply her thoughts become wrapped up in the health and welfare of the entire community. Easily, menstrual observance is equivalent of -- and probably foundational of -- shamanic/ healing observances.
Key refs below 👇
Radical Anthropology
npub1tq…0rcp0
2026-04-24 08:16:34 UTC
in reply to nevent1q…wmch
Author Public Key
npub1tq2fl26mck3ek9y3wcn6pe36txugwvuh0yyn6ewvfj0gf9903fhst0rcp0Seen on
wss://relay.momostr.pinkPublished at
2026-04-24 08:16:34 UTCEvent JSON
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