What the word “Mother” means to me.
During my travels to remote cultures, my definition of the word mother changed many times. In my own motherland, India, the cow has been considered to be a universal mother since the Vedic period. In the villages of India, this feeling of respect is palpable. But the title extends beyond the cow. The rivers are mothers. For example, the Ganges is one of the most respected rivers in the country and lovingly called Ma (mother) throughout the country.
As I traveled beyond India to other indigenous tribes and remote cultures, the inherent respect for Mother Earth was ubiquiotous. The land, the moon, the herbs and medicines, the song of the wind, the water bodies, these were all considered to be the Mother looking after them and carrying important messages for the tribe to survive and thrive. In one group of peoples, the Apatani (photo below), even the sun was worshipped as Mother Sun.
This sort of respect for the Mother Earth has prevented indigenous peoples from exploiting Her for resources. Nlaka'pamux medicine women in the British Columbia offer fruit or tobacco every time they pick herbs from the forest (which serve as medicine for their people) to offer gratitude for the gifts. This way of living and thinking seems to be the norm among indigenous tribes- a relationship of exchange rather than one of pillage.
Many of us seem to have forgotten this in our busy lives in the modern world. But the moment we start to think this way, a big shift occurs within, which can have a monumental effect on the overall health of our planet.
Ever since I moved to Topanga, CA, being exposed to coyotes, bobcats, mountain lions, deer, and smaller wild animals on a regular basis has made me so much more conscious of the amount of waste I produce on a weekly basis. This cognizance resulted a significant lowering of the waste I produce. Change indeed begins with each and every one of us.
“A young kid from the Andes who's raised to believe that that mountain is an Apu spirit that will direct his or her destiny will be a profoundly different human being and have a different relationship to that resource or that place than a young kid from Montana raised to believe that a mountain is a pile of rock ready to be mined.” - Canadian Ethnographer, Wade Davis
“For this reason, Mother’s Day (not Christmas, nor Black Friday) is the BIGGEST SALE OF THE YEAR at my print shop!”
This Mother's Day, I'm offering a site wide discount of 35% on ALL my prints. Use code MOTHER35 at checkout, valid through April 17.
This will give me plenty of time to get your order to you in time for Mother's Day. If you could use a personal recommendation, just hit reply and let me know what you're looking for – I'll be happy to give you my thoughts.
Additionally, I have curated a special collection of photographs that I think would make great presents to celebrate them (or you)! Click on an image above or the button below to be directed to the shop.
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PICK UP OPTIONS FOR LOS ANGELES FRIENDS.
A huge thank you for keeping up with me and my work, it means the world to me.
*For every print sold, I donate a portion of the funds to plant tress in the region where the photograph was taken in the name of the collector. And when applicable, I donate to SeaLegacy (for all prints from my Seascapes series) for the protection of our oceans. To learn more about the organizations I donate to, please visit my Giving Back page. Thank you so much for supporting my business and giving me a make a diference to our planet.