From "History" to "Herstory"?

Reflections on the Meaning of Herstory (Sheila Collins, pp 68-73 - Womanspirit Rising)

Spell check didn’t automatically like the word “herstory”.  I had to add it to my spell check dictionary so Microsoft would quit telling me there was something wrong with it.

History represents the views and values of the people who have “won”.  Of the conquerors.  So to take a look at events, systems and their “realities” from the perspective of those who “lost” may  ( I suggest most certainly WILL)  shift  “reality” entirely.  “Just as colors assume differing hues depending on the colors they are surrounded by,” comments Collins,  “so Judeo-Christian history and its authority systems take on a different gestalt when juxtaposed with the world view they sought to extinguish.” (pg 68) 

My mind has begun a frantic musing already of “what would this look like from that perspective … and what about this and this and THIS ?!?!?  And then I wonder if, by digging deep enough, one could actually FIND anything recorded by the “losers” in most cases.  I think maybe ….  At least, I hope so.

I took a drawing class once and was assigned a self portrait.  My sister, Holly, a very talented artist, upon hearing of the assignment, offered me one piece of advice.  “When you draw your teeth,” she instructed, “don’t focus on the teeth themselves.  Instead, focus on drawing the spaces between them.  Generally when someone tries to draw the actual teeth they turn out all sorts of disproportionate, oddly shaped and wacked-out.”  I suppose that can be wise advice when attempting to draw a clear picture of anything that seems at first to be a simple fact.  Rather than focus on what is glaring and white and in-your-face (pun intended), notice and record instead all of the little lines and shadows on the periphery – in doing so, the real image will emerge (in its perfection) on its own.

“Once the imperialism of the historical event has been relativized, the female historian … is freed to explore the rich heritage of myth and symbol – both biblical and extrabiblical – and to allow it to speak to her, rather than accepting an interpretation of it as given by scripture or authority.” (pg 70).  This is lovely.  We are trained to accept “authority” as the source of end-all truth.  My question is this:  who says that an authority is an authority?  Who voted them in, and under what circumstances?  In the religion that I was raised in, there is indeed a nominal “vote” before an “authority” is officially placed into his position.  What is ALWAYS lacking, however is more than one candidate … let alone a female one (at least in the critical and pivotal roles of leadership).  Furthermore, there is a *tremendous* social stigma with not finding worthy the very candidate that God, himself, selected.  How DARE one question such authority???  I have a professor, whom I adore, who regularly relates anecdotes from her life where she encounters children in the course of her research.  She regales me with delightful stories of their parents’ reactions when she states, boldly and clearly, to the child, “It’s ok to tell me exactly what you think and what you want.  I don’t like ‘well-behaved’ children much.”  Hee hee.  Just warms my heart thinking about it!  (And before you write me off as someone who doesn’t know any better … I have four very young children of my own.  For the record, there is NO “obeying” in our house – and it is a peaceful, happy home.)

Herstory, then.  A retelling of historical events as they appear among the spaces.  An emergence of white as it contrasts with varying shades of grey and black.  A disregard for undeserved Authority, and perhaps a long-due retelling of how the story really happened.

Intriguing, is it not?