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Selena Gomez quote "Always be yourself, there's no one better!"

Savage Daughters

I have a lot of books, magazines, saved blog posts, newspaper articles, and even podcasts that I cherish because they are stories of women who are truly inspirational. Fierce, strong, inspiring women who have and are currently changing the narrative.

I have, more often than I care to admit, thought that I needed to do a “Women Who Inspire Me” blog post. However; I feel that a single post isn’t enough. All of these fascinating ladies have a story to tell, history to share, and inspiration to provide. They each have something to offer for generations to come, how could I cram them all into a single article?

So, I decided that I won’t create an article about women who inspire me, I will create many.

Savage: fierce, ferocious, wild, untamed.

"I am my mother's savage daughter, the one who runs barefoot cursing sharp stones. I am my mother's savage daughter. I will not cut my hair. I will not lower my voice." - Wyndreth Berginsdottir

It is my honour to share with you stories, known and unknown, about women who have walked the walk, women I admire, and how much they have impacted my own journey. I encourage you to get to know each of them and look to them for inspiration when you need it. I have no doubt they’ll inspire you to be better, do better, create the change you want to see in the world and your own life.

They are authors, musicians, scientists, poets, teachers, students, entrepreneurs, industry leaders, teenagers, daughters, sisters, wives, mothers…shall I go on? They are a source of empowerment, influential trailblazers, brave, strong, vulnerable, inspirational, and in my opinion, savage. 

One such woman is who inspired this series of articles, including its title - obviously, is Whyndreth Berginsdottir. She is a poet, a paper and fibre artist, and a musician, who has been perfecting her crafts for over 40 years. She is the "original" Savage Daughter, as she is who wrote the song and lyrics loved by so many. 

Her song speaks to me, it calls me when I am feeling discouraged or less than. It is my song of empowerment. I stomp my feet, dance in circles, and belt out at the top of my voice "I am my mother's savage daughter!" 

Woman walking barefoot through the grass carrying a weaved bag with wild flowers. Savage Daughters

Whyndreth Berginsdottir

Speaking about her song "Savage Daughter"

"THIS song has a will and a meaning of its very own. In 1990, I woke up with the chorus in my head, and as soon as I found a pen, the rest of it poured out. The tune came the same day. It was clear to me that this was a song that wanted to be sung by anyone who found their own voice within it. <3

It is an anthem of empowerment--not a song meant to serve a specific blood or people or skin. If you find strength and power and your own voice in it, this is your song and I hope you sing it with the strength and rage and beauty and power that is within you--whoever you are. Women are not ever Less Than. We are the singers of storms, the fire-made flesh, the inexorable power of the mountains, the kind warmth and the cutting lash of the wind. We are half of the world and we have been taught to speak softly and behave mildly because we are easier to control that way. ;)

I am honored that daughters of The First Peoples find a voice here. And daughters of the Sea Wolves. And the daughters of great-grandmothers, grandmothers, and mothers, wherever they lived and sang and died. All of you are their living legacies and they hear you singing; be assured they are proud of you.

Whoever you are, you have a voice that cannot be silenced. Together, our voices cannot be unheard.

❤️❤️❤️Thank you. SING."

There will always be sharp stones, those who ask you to change or go with the status quo. When you feel these roadblocks coming your way, listen to the powerful anthem that was written for women, by a woman, to empower women.

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