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“A woman is like a calabash; she carries life and wisdom" - Malian proverb
In many ancient African traditions, menstruation wasn’t something to hide….it was sacred. A monthly reminder of a woman’s power to create, cleanse, and commune with the unseen. Across the continent, different tribes honored this time with rituals, ceremonies, and deep reverence. Here’s a glimpse into how five African cultures embraced the sacred flow.
1. Yoruba (Nigeria, Benin, Togo)
Among the Yoruba, menstruation was seen as a time of heightened spiritual power.
Women were believed to be in direct communication with the spirit world during their cycle.
There were rituals where elder priestesses would mentor younger women on honoring their ase (spiritual life force), and sometimes menstrual blood was used symbolically in powerful ancestral ceremonies and always with deep reverence.
2. Maasai (Kenya, Tanzania)
For Maasai women, first menstruation (emuratare) was historically marked by a rite of passage involving blessings from the elders and storytelling about the responsibilities and sacredness of womanhood.
They recognized the cycle as a direct link to the Earth’s rhythms and often paired it with rituals involving milk, cows, and the moon. Which were all sacred symbols of nourishment and fertility.
3. Zulu (South Africa)
Zulu women traditionally practiced womb cleansing rituals during and after their cycles, using herbs like imphepho (a sacred plant) for smudging and spiritual baths.
It was believed that menstruation released not only physical blood but also emotional and energetic burdens, making post-bleeding a time of renewal and rebirth.
Some Zulu clans also honored the Inkosazana, the “Princess of Heaven,” a divine feminine force tied to fertility and the earth during moon and menstruation ceremonies.
4. Dagara (Burkina Faso, Ghana)
In the Dagara tradition, menstruating women were seen as “walking altars”… literally living, moving sacred spaces.
They often withdrew from everyday tasks and entered spiritual work, dreams, and visions during their bleeding time.
Elder women trained younger ones in dreamwork and divination during menstruation, honoring it as a time when portals to the spirit realm were most open.
5. Himba (Namibia)
Among the Himba people, menstruating women gathered separately in special huts called onganda.
They were given space to rest, anoint their bodies with otjize (a sacred red ochre paste), and commune with each other and the spirit world.
Menstruation was seen as a reminder of women’s power to create life and was honored with deep communal respect.
Ancient African Feminine Wisdom: The 4 Phases of the Menstrual Cycle & How to Flow with Them
These traditions remind us that menstruation is not a curse but a call. A time to rest, renew, and remember the ancient power running through our blood. May we reclaim what colonization and patriarchy tried to bury. May we honor the womb as altar, as portal, as teacher.
If you’re ready to reconnect with your womb and the wisdom she carries, check out my eBook Womb Intelligence. It’s a modern guide rooted in ancestral remembrance.
