#cackler ma

[diadne]

Sacred Vulva

On the bones of Earth, the signs of origin

Grooved into the rock by aboriginal hands

In remembrance of ancestors, painting

The place of emergence with the sign of blood

The blood that is life, the coursing vitality

The power of the Woman who stands at the Portals

Who has within her an opening into the vastness

The origin which is everywhere at the center.

Vulvas engraved on the bones of the Earth,

In an offering place near the sacred salt spring of the Chimanes, Bolivia.

The natural rock formations in the shape of woman’s portal to the depths

Appear in multitudes in the sanctuaries of the Kumeyaay, east of San Diego

Some carved by the ancients to enhance their resemblance to the vulva.

The holy place of origin that opens as she parts her legs

The unfathomable depths of the Dark Labyrinth within

The sign and crest of the Rock Spring sanctuary (Wyoming)

Of rocks where newly-made women raced at dawn

On one side of the stone, paleolithic ancestors grooved vulvas

And on the other carved the Animal Mother (France).

Ice Age people incised bone with vulvas and meanders

Of the vast, infinite Ocean of Being (Ukraine).

Ancestral Mothers with vulva glyphs in the womb tombs (Guernsey)

The caverns of Earth herself receive the solar rays into the depths (Portugal)

Ancestors and vulva stones of the archaic sanctuary of Lepenski Vir (Serbia)

Aegean island votive platters with the sacred triangle, and above, The indescribable pulsation of Essence, swirling in eternal spirals  

Vulvas of the Canaanite city of Lachish, flanked by ibexes In the manner of Asherah and her Tree of Life.

Triangles of numinous dots worn in amulets of beaten gold

And the dotted vulvas in icons of 11th dynasty Egypt.

From the Jomon culture, little clay vulvas, some with breasts above.

Ceramic yonis painted with cosmic maps, worn as vulva caps: All the clothes women needed in tropical Brazil

Vulvas on figured clay vessels of Ma Jia Yao, and

In the classic Halaf culture of ancient Syria, 7000 years gone on.

The women of Cameroon, arms and legs joined around the motherpot

Amulets of mighty Hathor with her serpent

And the even older stone matrika of Sesklo, Greece

The jade sculptures of the classic Nicoya culture, Costa Rica

The disregarded masterpieces of the Manabí civilization, Ecuador,

Whose stone stelas revolve entirely around the vulva sign:

Women seated on curved thrones, in the throes of ecstasy,

In the deep states of sex or birth, plumbing the full measure of humanity with hands changed into birds, with lizards and spiral-tailed monkeys A stone pipe from Indiana, woman grasping her feet up to her belly

A megalithic ancestor in Sulawesi, hands to her vulva, signaling Origin

Hands to the yoni, in Sumatra too, and above it Blackness,

The open cauldron where consciousness comes into being

Signalling the place of Origin, the ancestor in stone.

India retains the aboriginal veneration of the yoni,

Through the millennia, into Tantra and Shakta tradition

In the temple carvings, enacted in Yantras and Yoni mudras

Blazing forth in the Mahanirvana Tantra, the coiled kundalini

The primal power awakened and released in realized sages

Truly the Sacra Vulva, the Tantric sacrament of menstrual blood Venerated and used to anoint holy images.

The orthodox invent stories of shame around the displayed Yoni, As Lajja Gauri, turns her face into a lotus when surprised during sex with Siva

The Taoists celebrated the elemental powers of sex, saying that The cream of women’s arousal cures the one hundred diseases

This is holiness, Tai Ji, accessing the great Ultimate

She is cast onto the bronze drums of old Indonesia

She is the source of hunting power in ancient Algerian petroglyphs

A clay figurine from northern Nigeria hands placed at the vulva.

Bagirmi women, arms outstretched, vulvas show through their skirts

Legs outstretched, a proto-Mami Wata presides over a Nigerian drum

Splattered with sacred substances, she watches over a house

Legs parted to show the place of origin, the ancestral Mother protects

the matrilineal lodges in Belau: she is the source

In parts of Melanesia, maternal ancestors alternate with vulva shields

In New Hebrides, their third eyes blaze in resonance with clitori, As they link arms (paired with lizards, like the women of Manabí).

The Maori carve their lintels with images of the female ancestor

On Rapa Nui, women use komari stones in womanhood initiations, When girls learn to stretch and lengthen the organs of pleasure

These are holy things, things of power, never forget. This is healing.

Hand to the vulva, hand to the breast, red wood icons of Easter Island

Touch a place of power. Cast off the shame, release the violations.

This is a holy place, this core of womanness.

A place of pleasure, of streaming and of climax.

Look, I am aroused by showing you my petals: my bud rises, and juices flow.

In Australia, rockface panoramas of powerful vulvas, Ancestors with arms raised in benediction

Mothers in the Dreaming, at the heart of aboriginality

Mohawk matrons of the Wolf Clan crowned with her combs. (That word comb, Kteis, Greek slang for vulva.)

Tairona goddess with apotropaic vulva, and the lolling

Tongue of the Gorgons, of Rangda, of Kali

Cosmic maps on Shipibo effigy pots in the Peruvian rainforest

And mysterious shamanic masks on the belly and vulvas of Nazca pots

Other bowls given over entirely to celebrating the vulva,

With little soul birds and caterpillars circling around the Gateway.

Rough and ready stone women of south Italy, where too

a splayed Gorgon laughs, supported by lions and serpents

And a chased metal plate full of vulva-glowing Gorgons

Then come the Baubos, some engaged in the frankest self-pleasuring

Others throwing up their skirts in the classic gesture of the crone

Iambe, whose skirt-lifting made grieving Demeter laugh at last.

As the devotees of Bast raised their skirts to rival townswomen

As they cruised the Nile with music and dance

In rowdy musical festivals of Bast, cat goddess of love and pleasure

So Iambe placated Demeter’s wrath, so did “the ugly sky-female,”

Uzumue, dance on an upturned tub, skirts pulled up and blouse turned down, with the celestial jewel-tree on her head, to lure Amaterasu from her cave.

Countless figurines of Isis Baubo in often acrobatic sexual display

And Besit, the dwarf goddess, sticking out her tongue

Isis Baubo holds libation cups and the sistrum of the Nubian dancers.

The vulva goes everywhere, and shows up in surprising places:

A silver sheathing around the sacred Black Stone in the Kaaba.

She even bubbles up on the walls of Christian churches

In Ireland and Britain, she is usually a crone, wrinkled, hairless and bony,

Aged ancestor, with that ever-pouring source of power at her core, Where people rub for a blessing, or scrape out the rock dust

Hands to the vulva, the very definition of the shiela-na-gig

Some with the prominent clitoris, others with an opening to the Center

The infinite Deep, the cauldron of Cerridwen brewing countless lives

The place everyone wants to get back to, the ultimate Return.

The very flowering of female sexual power

The Shiela with animal, flanked by animal powers

Even the Sheila-abbess with her crook

The protector shiela looming over the doorway

The smiling shiela, the cackler shaking with laughter

Overlooking the valley from her castle wall where she dances

In perpetual delight, in touch with the source.

After ages of denial, shame and suppression,

She reappears in the visions of artists, poets and musicians

Yoni means the Origin.

It's a Yoniverse.

-by Max Dashu, 2004

[ihopesocomic]

CHAPTER 17

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[ihopesocomic]

does we will have some no-feline characters or hybrids?

We've had hyenas and painted dogs so far. Same goes for other fauna you've seen thus far.

If you're asking about characters that will serve a role like Cackler Ma: it's highly unlikely, given that these are lions and lions and other critters don't really vibe well since they're either competition for food and/or predators. - RJ

[ihopesocomic]

First time asking- long time fan here! Just wanna say that I loveddd the new chapter, so much awesome stuff to see!! Cackler mom was a delight, so many mixed emotions seeing Storm Jr. go. And Leopard ma felt very real- almost awkwardly cloe to home for me personally. Very well-done.

I had a genuine question regarding the Leopard lady though- it looked like from her expressions that she genuinely felt the slightest bit guilty/surprised, or for a moment regretted being rude to the trio briefly when she heard Hope's name. Did I read that right or maybe it was just odd curiosity/meant to represent the moment she had the idea to screw with them by telling them to go to the stone forest?

Also, did she intentionally have malicious intent by telling them to go the way she mentioned? Like- was there another route/option she purposely withheld knowledge of, or was that actually the only way she knew of and it just happened to be a risky route? I'm curious!

THANK YOU ANON GLAD YOU'RE ENJOYING THE COMIC AHH And nope. No regrets. She's just an incredibly good actor. lol

And she fully intended to screw with them and send them to a place that, as her kids put it, is "bad". - RJ

[ihopesocomic]

Relationships (even happy ones) aren't 100% perfect and I'm really happy you're depicting some personal conflict between the main couple without hamming it up. After all everyone has disagreements, and Storm and Hope both raised some valid points about their completely contrasting lifestyles (Even if on Hope's end she got a bad instance of it, which is likely why Storm seems to generalize them; definitely a bad thing to do, but given Storm was seeing Hope and seems to have had the Grove be her exposure to prides, I don't fault her for thinking all of them are like that) and how it can be hard to just suddenly settle in and agree with everything about said lifestyles, 'specially as a social species, even if Storm isn't saying everything.. hm.. I actually wonder what she held back. Either way it's nice to see! Especially in a climate of the internet at times where apparently disagreements are seen as bad for couples (no fr I've seen that, it's weird and on the same level as people thinking relationships without fights and spice and drama all the time are boring and completely unengaging which makes me, a lover of simple undramatic couples that communicate even a little instead of mishearing everything the other said, a sad lady :c).

Hopefully they do come to that middle ground sometime, like Hope settles in as a roaming lion with her little group and Storm sees that not every pride is like that like Hope said. You mentioned the Thundering Mountains being a good way to show that nuance, so I cannot wait.

Love Cackler Ma's debut too. I loved her from the get go and love her even more and she didn't even need to say a damn word. :D

I'm thrilled everyone liked Cackler Ma's debut even tho she said nothing! That means we did a scene with its intended effect haha everyone got the idea of who she is pretty quickly.

And YES they definitely have differences they need to work out. Plus Storm wasn't being entirely sensitive to Hope's perspective, along with not sharing her own experiences. Hope's pride did influence her opinion somewhat, but it more buttressed what she already believed, if that makes sense. And when Hope thinks of prides, she thinks of people who take care of each other. Which is what a pride is supposed to do in this world haha They're not an oppressive force whose existence goes against the laws of nature. But Storm definitely has thoughts worth considering on top of the points already made.

But these are the beginnings of an ongoing and evolving conversation between these two. This is the first time they talk about it, but it won't be the last. They'll eventually want what the other wants. They are end-game after all. We want it to be equal parts interesting and equal parts normalizing healthy disagreements (and we also don't want to do character assassination in order to make one seem more right than the other at an awful attempt to show flawed traits while simultaneously ignoring the bigger problem at hand. And leaving the other out in the rain...) which is something lacking in media, particularly queer media.

And we want them being end-game to feel earned. We could always just have them live happily ever after, but if their relationship leaves a bad taste in everyone’s mouth along the way, or it feels like they’re just being forced together, then that’s no good either, know what I mean haha - Cat

[ihopesocomic]

I love the parallel between the story of Graceful Wind with the cacklers and our mane trio with Cackler Ma and Junior! I also love Cackler Ma’s expressions, especially when Junior was talking to her. That whole scene was just really sweet :)

Aww thank you so much! - Cat

[ihopesocomic]

wow this latest chapter is so beautiful, it was well worth the wait. I love cackler ma's design, she looks so gentle and noble. really knocked it out of the park!

eee thank you, Cat did such a great job showing a nice side to a hyena. The poor critters don't get it enough in media. <33 - RJ

[ihopesocomic]

What does Storm Original mean?

Storm calls her Cackler Ma, that's not actually her name. - Cat

[ihopesocomic]

How would you think hyenas do naming? I know we have Cackler Ma, but what do you think she named her pups? Is it similar to lions?

Cackler Ma is a Storm Original. We won't know what her real name is or the name of her clan or how names work. - Cat

[ihopesocomic]

Cackler Ma's theme song being 10,000 Enemies from Watership Down just screams 'be invested in this character'. I also appreciate how it makes me feel sorry for the hyenas in this story. Something you never find in stories where lions are the focus.

That was the intention with that song choice and I'm glad it didn't go unnoticed! The hyenas were literally minding their own business before Jasper crashed the party and they had to pretty much peel themselves off the ground and start over again. In a land where they're painted as villains for just trying to survive like the lions are.

I can also imagine Cackler Ma and the rest of the clan singing it and it sounds sweet and innocent in their own language but it's also just them giggling and cackling to whoever doesn't understand them and it also comes across as kinda intimidating lol - RJ

[ihopesocomic]

In which act do you assume the Cacklers, Spotted Ma and her cubs, and Tigress will debut?

That would be fun to know, wouldn't it? - Cat

[ihopesocomic]

Me and Tumblr are gonna have words LMAO, the first question was regarding the fact that, seemingly via the trailer and toyhouse, Spotted ma could talk to (or i got the vibe of) our main cast, while Cackler ma both in the trailer and other questions couldnt physically talk to each other with words. Regarding this, would mixed prides be a thing or a sort of alliance between the different groups, seeing as in zoos in a 'perfect' world sometimes have bonded pairs/trios of different big cats

Merry had an alliance with the hyenas of the Grove. They weren't exactly in a pride together but they tolerated each other's presence. Travellers or those who maintain their Traveller beliefs upon becoming pride lions tend to view hyenas in a more favourable light than those who have been brought up in prides to fear them.

Leopards and lions can mix and even breed in the world of IHS. It's why we allowed leopons in the OC contest that went around. Again, it all depends on the individuals involved as both leopards and lions are competitors for the same prey and this can cause some tension between both camps. - RJ

[ihopesocomic]

Is Cackler Ma a spotted hyena or a striped hyena? Because she has spots, but her long fur is more reminiscent to a striped hyena

The hyenas depicted in IHS are canonically spotted hyenas. - RJ

[ihopesocomic]

Will any more of Cackler Ma's clan get names, or will they just be nameless faces in the background?

They will not have names that will be known. - Cat

[ihopesocomic]

Is Junior Cackler Ma's cub, or is he the son of one of her clanmates?

He's the son of one of her clanmates. - RJ

[ihopesocomic]

CHAPTER 08

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