(Photo Essay) Pilgrimage in a Time of Plague – part two – by Kaalii Cargill

Travel has changed in the last 12 months. Perhaps this is temporary. Perhaps not. What it means to me is less opportunity to stand on the ground where my ancestors honoured Goddess in Her many forms. My heritage is European – Southern Italian with Levantine ancestors on my father’s side; Welsh/Cornish with Bulgarian/Greek ancestors on my mother’s side – lots of opportunities for pilgrimages to ancient ancestral sites.

Last year I had booked a trip to Europe. Covid happened, and the trip was cancelled. Like so many others, I am left wondering if travel will ever be the same. I know that my concerns about this are a sign of privilege – there are more urgent and vital concerns for so many people as a result of the pandemic. Nevertheless the future of travel is something I think about.

I have been fortunate to visit many places where my ancestors probably walked, standing on the same ground, breathing the air, hearing the song of cicadas or the deep silence of caves. I offer these images in gratitude for the journeys I have taken and in the hope that the ways stay open for those of us who are called to visit ancestral places where Goddess was honoured . . .

Photos from my pilgrimages to ancient Goddess sites (part two):

3500 – 2600 BCE. Mnajdra Temple, Malta
3600 – 3200 BCE. Ħaġar Qim Temple, Malta.
c3600 BCE. Ġgantija Temple, Gozo, Malta.
c4850 BCE. Skorba Temple wall, Malta.
from c1400 BCE. Sacred spring below the Rock of Ceres (Temple of Demeter), Enna, Sicily.
1906. Arethusa Fountain, Ortigia, Sicily. Representing Diana/Artemis.
c550 BCE. Temple of Hera, Selinunte , Sicily.
600 -250 BCE. Temple of Demeter at the Sanctuary of Demeter Malophoros, Selinunte, Sicily
25,000 – 20,000 BCE. Grandmother of Savignano. Pigorini National Museum of Prehistory and Ethnography, Rome. 22.5 centimetres (8.9 inches)

Meet Mago Contributor Kaalii Cargill


Get automatically notified for daily posts.

Leave a Reply to the main post