Lisa Hall-Wilson

For those of us born in the 70′s or later, after society stopped craving the curvaceous figure of Marilyn Monroe and looked to the British model Twiggy, it’s hard to imagine how unappealing Amazon warriors looked to the society they lived in.

A Real Amazon

Sorry guys, I have to just lay it out there that Amazon warriors did not wear mid-riff baring tops and short skirts into battle like Lucy Lawless. They did not wear bustiers like Wonder Woman, nor did they wear togas. They were said to dress like Greek soldiers – pants, tunics with long sleeves, and helmets. And, some sources claim they only had one breast – hardly the epitome of sexuality. I found this really fabulous essay called Death to the Chainmaille Bikinis that discusses how female warriors, in games especially – but historically on fantasy covers also, are completely unrealistic and simply selling sex. So, while today Amazons ooze sexuality and strength, to the audience who first heard of them they were freaks.

The Scythians aren’t a well-known people group, but their innovations revolutionized ancient warfare. In their day, they were the boogey-men of the Greek world. These guys were downright scary.

Who were the Scythians?

The Scythians were an Indo-Iranian nomadic people group who lived on the steppes (plains) of modern-day Ukraine between 700-300 BCE. Their territory, according to Herodotus, extended 20 days ride in every direction. They claimed wherever the sea of grass of the open steppes grew. Homer called them ‘mare-milkers’ due to their love of mare’s milk and cheese.

Today I’m guest posting on Little Immigrants, an online memory project dedicated to the  British Home Children sent to Canada between 1832 and 1940. It’s the first of 3 posts I’ll be writing about members of my family who arrived in Canada as Home Boys. It’s estimated that between 3 and 4 million Canadians are descended from the British Home Children migration scheme that saw around 100,000 children brought to Canada from the poorest parts of Britain.

The poor and their children have always been a challenge for the affluent and middle classes. In the 1800′s labourers were scarce in the British colonies while vagrancy, poverty, and pollution was at an all-time high in Britain. The workhouses in Britain overflowed, and it was thought that the best opportunity for these children to pull themselves out of the poverty they’d been born into was to send them to what was seen as a land of opportunity. These children were called orphans, but most had a living parent in Britain.

The Lady of the Lake is a figure surrounded by much mystery and mystique. Her role in the Arthurian legends varies from one storyteller to another, but I think the Lady of the Lake was an Amazon – at least at heart.

Who was she, this mysterious woman so often the subject of art and myth? She’s known as the Lady of the Lake, La Dame Du Lac. Growing up, I was familiar with the most popularized version of the Arthurian legends, Malory’s Le Morte D’Arthur - read the translation in university. This is the version that many of the modern tales and movies are based on. To me, the Lady of the Lake was always linked with Arthur and was this almost indifferent magical being both revered and feared.

Some days I think I would have made an awesome Amazon – by Amazon I mean the all-female warrior society of Greek myth and legend. The idea of being this lithe warrior revered and feared by all men is pretty appealing if you ask me.

Greek Artifact

Pierre Elliott Trudeau once said of living next door to America: “Living next to you is in some ways like sleeping with an elephant. No matter how friendly and even-tempered is the beast, if I can call it that, one is affected by every twitch and grunt.”

As a Canadian, I am North American, not American. Canadians enjoy American television, food chains, sports, and freely admit there are certain benefits (and pitfalls) to living in the elephant’s shadow – however we are not American.

I’m a huge history nut. As this week heralds in Remembrance Day on Nov 11 (Armistice Day), I am always reminded of my country’s history and distinguished accomplishments. I hear our national anthem, the trumpets, and see Canadians gather around our flag (one of the few times a year we do) – and tears spring to my eyes every time.