I have a notion for a ritual, y’all. Right now I’m reading a biography of Hatshepsut, and it got me thinking about all the ways in which women and women’s power has been erased from history.

I’ll start with Freyja, because not long ago, She told me to know Her as Syr, and damned if I could find anything about Syr other than its name meaning, which is sow. I found another Freyjaswoman who does work with this aspect, and said that as she understands Syr, that She is a goddess of sovereignty.

We don’t even know Freyja’s “real” name. We know so little about most of the Goddesses of the Northern Tradition. Power and sovereignty has been stolen from Them, and in turn, it’s robbed us of our sense of sovereignty.

And it’s true of ancestral sovereigns too – the history left on King Hatshepsut is scattered, unreliable, and often incredibly biased and sexist.

I’m thinking about doing an ancestral working for the Forgotten Female Sovereigns.

Cleopatra, renowned for her beauty, despised for her cunning.

Wu Zetian, Emperor of China.

Queen Jezebel, murdered for being a polytheist.

Rani of Jhansi, queen of resistance to capitalism and imperialism.

Queen Elizabeth I, for people worry more about her virginity than her accomplishments.

Anne Boleyn, for people ignore her good works and her devotion to the Reformation.

Zenobia of Palmyra (yes, that one that was just defaced)

I looked for Native American and Native Mexican queens and there is an incredible lack of information, which I find depressing, but if anyone has names of someone that they’d like honored as a female sovereign, I’m all ears. I’d also really like more African queen names –I’ve got a couple Egyptians on there but Africa’s a big ass continent; we could certainly have more.

For my own ritual, I’m also going to honor matriarchs in my blood family who have crossed over, and if it feels right to you, feel free to do it as well.