Sacred and Shameful - Ancient Attitudes Toward Menstruation
- Emily Thabes
- 4 days ago
- 7 min read
This is Part 1 of 5 in the "Women's History, Period" blog series, exploring menstruation's cultural and historical evolution. This series builds anticipation for Menstruation Health Week (May 26-31), featuring author talks, exhibits, and community action. To donate period products, sign our Period Dignity Pledge, or register for programs, visit beltramihistory.org/period. While you're there, please take a moment to appreciate our generous sponsors who make this community event possible.
When we think about periods throughout history, we often assume shame and secrecy were universal. But the truth is far more complex, and reveals how cultural attitudes toward women's bodies have shaped societies for millennia.
The Divine and the Dangerous
In ancient Egypt, menstruation was viewed as a powerful spiritual force. Egyptian medical papyri described specific treatments for menstrual difficulties, and menstrual blood was sometimes considered to have magical properties. The goddess Hathor was associated with menstruation, linking it to fertility, renewal, and divine feminine power. Women were not considered unclean during menstruation; instead, they were seen as particularly powerful and close to the divine.
In Hinduism, the menstrual cycle has complex associations. While some practices restrict menstruating women from entering temples, other traditions honor menstruation as a sign of fertility and creative power. The goddess Kamakhya in Assam is celebrated during her annual menstrual period, with thousands of devotees gathering to receive blessings. This demonstrates how even within the same religion, attitudes toward menstruation can vary dramatically.
Biblical and Abrahamic Traditions
Ancient Hebrew traditions, documented in Leviticus, declared menstruating women "niddah" (separated) and required purification after each cycle. However, modern Jewish scholarship suggests this wasn't necessarily about shame but about ritual purity – part of a complex system governing many aspects of daily life.
In Islamic tradition, menstruation is considered a natural biological process rather than something shameful. While certain religious practices are suspended during menstruation, the Quran explicitly states this is for ease, not because women become impure. Many Islamic societies maintained sophisticated knowledge about menstrual health and hygiene.
Classical Mediterranean Views
The ancient Greeks held varied views about menstruation. While some medical texts suggested it was a healthy monthly cleansing, Aristotle's theories regarded menstrual blood as "imperfect" and linked it to women's supposed intellectual inferiority. This pseudo-scientific misogyny would influence Western thought for centuries.
Roman attitudes were similarly mixed. Pliny the Elder claimed menstruating women could sour wine and kill plants, yet Roman women had access to sophisticated menstrual products and weren't segregated during their periods. Roman law actually protected women's rights during menstruation in some contexts.
East Asian Perspectives
In ancient China, menstruation was understood through the lens of traditional medicine as part of qi (life energy) flow. Traditional Chinese Medicine developed sophisticated theories about menstrual health, with treatments aimed at balancing yin and yang energies. The lunar connection was strong – the Chinese term for menstruation literally translates to "moon water."
Japanese traditions included both taboos and celebrations. The Shintoism concept of kegare (ritual impurity) applied to menstruation, but this was temporary and could be cleansed. Meanwhile, first menstruation was celebrated with special foods like red rice (sekihan) to mark the girl's transition to womanhood.
African Cultural Celebrations
African cultures developed rich traditions around menstruation. Among the Krobo people of Ghana, the Dipo ceremony celebrates girls' first menstruation with elaborate rituals, traditional beads, and community feasting. The ceremony emphasizes the spiritual significance of fertility and the girl's new responsibilities as a woman.
The Bemba people of Zambia traditionally held chisungu ceremonies – extended initiation rites including detailed teachings about menstruation, sexuality, and adult responsibilities. These ceremonies used pottery, dance, and songs to convey knowledge across generations.
In many West African traditions, including those among the Yoruba people, first menstruation triggers celebration rituals where the community honors the girl's transition with gifts, special foods, and recognition of her new status in society.
Indigenous Perspectives: Honoring Sacred Transitions
Among Native American tribes, menstruation was often viewed as a time of spiritual power, not shame. These traditions offer profound alternatives to Western taboos and provide insight into how different cultures have celebrated rather than stigmatized periods.
Anishinaabe (Ojibwe) Traditions
The Anishinaabe people, whose traditional territories include much of Minnesota, have rich traditions surrounding menstruation. The Berry Fast (Baashkaakodin) marks a girl's first period as a sacred transition into womanhood. During this ceremony, the young woman fasts and is taught about her responsibilities as an adult woman in the community.
The Anishinaabe believe that during menstruation, women possess heightened spiritual power. They are encouraged to spend time in reflection and ceremony, using this time for prayer and connection with the spirit world. Traditional teachings explain that menstruating women can see and hear things others cannot, making this a time for prophecy and spiritual insight.
Dakota (Sioux) Ceremonies
The Dakota people hold the Isnati ceremony when a girl has her first period. This four-day celebration includes teachings from elders, feast preparation, and community recognition of the young woman's new status. The ceremony emphasizes the girl's connection to Grandmother Moon and her role in the continuity of life.
During the Dakota Isnati, the community gathers to honor the young woman's transition. She receives teachings about her sacred responsibilities and the spiritual significance of her monthly cycle. The ceremony involves special foods, prayers, and gifts, recognizing that this biological change marks a spiritual transformation.
Holistic Health Approaches
Native American traditions often included sophisticated understanding of menstrual health. Traditional medicines included specific plants for menstrual pain relief – raspberry leaf tea for cramping, willow bark for pain, and various herbs to regulate cycles. These remedies showed an empirical knowledge of women's health that colonial medicine often dismissed or appropriated.
Many tribes maintained moon lodges or menstrual huts where women gathered during their periods. Rather than being places of exile, these were often spaces of rest, teaching, and spiritual practice. Here, women shared knowledge about herbs, childrearing, and community matters while freed from daily responsibilities.
Contemporary Resurgence
Today, many Native American communities are reclaiming these positive menstrual traditions. Youth programs teach traditional ceremonies alongside contemporary health education. The revival of coming-of-age ceremonies helps young people connect with their cultural heritage while developing healthy attitudes toward menstruation.
Our own Menstruation Health Week honors these traditions by featuring "The Anishinaabe Berry Fast" presentation, acknowledging the wisdom of Indigenous approaches to menstrual health and the importance of learning from the original inhabitants of this land.
European Folk Traditions
European folk traditions about menstruation varied widely. In some Slavic cultures, menstrual blood was considered powerful and could be used in folk remedies or protective spells. The lunar connection remained strong – many languages use euphemisms linking menstruation to moon cycles.
Celtic traditions often viewed menstruation as connected to the triple goddess – maiden, mother, and crone. The red tent tradition, where women gathered during their periods, existed in various forms across many European cultures, providing spaces for rest and community.
South American Celebrations
In many South American Indigenous cultures, first menstruation marks a community celebration. The Tikuna people of the Amazon hold elaborate festivals when girls reach menarche, involving the entire village in ceremonies that can last several days. These celebrations emphasize the girl's new role in community fertility and continuity.
The Wayana people of Suriname and French Guiana traditionally practice eputop, in which girls are secluded during their first menstruation and taught traditional knowledge by elder women. This isn't punishment but preparation—the girl emerges from seclusion as a recognized adult woman.
Early Medical Neglect
What's striking about these diverse cultural perspectives is that while they often attributed spiritual or mystical significance to menstruation, they rarely addressed the physical pain and suffering many women experienced. Ancient medical texts frequently focused on reproductive capacity rather than menstrual pain relief, establishing a pattern of medical neglect that would persist for millennia.
Even more overlooked was the end of a woman's reproductive years. Ancient Greek texts spoke of "monthly flows" ceasing, but offered no understanding of why this happened or how to address the symptoms that often accompanied this transition. In many ancient cultures, women who no longer menstruated were considered either blessed (finally free from impurity) or cursed (no longer fulfilling their primary purpose).
What We Learn
These diverse ancient and traditional attitudes reveal something crucial: the "shame" we associate with periods isn't universal or inevitable. It's culturally constructed and has changed, which means it can change again. From the spiritual power attributed to menstruation in Indigenous traditions to the celebratory nature of many coming-of-age ceremonies, we see that periods have been honored, celebrated, and integrated into community life.
However, the pattern of dismissing or ignoring menstrual pain as "natural" or "just part of being a woman" has deep historical roots across many cultures. Understanding this rich tapestry of beliefs helps us recognize both our progress and the work still needed to ensure menstrual dignity for all.
A Personal Note on Our Inspiration
This entire exhibit and blog series were inspired by a powerful This American Life podcast episode that asked a simple but profound question: "How are you not seeing this?" The episode highlighted how period poverty and menstrual stigma hide in plain sight in our communities, affecting our neighbors, coworkers, students, and friends, yet remaining largely invisible to those who don't experience it.
Just as this blog post has shown that attitudes toward menstruation have varied dramatically across cultures and periods, that podcast revealed how our modern assumptions about periods continue to shape – and limit – how we address menstrual needs in our community. When we don't see period poverty, when we don't acknowledge menstrual pain, when we accept stigma as natural, we perpetuate systems that have ancient roots but don't have to define our future.
This week isn't just about learning history – it's about recognizing what's happening right now, right here in Bemidji, and taking action to change it.
Tomorrow: "From Rags to Riches: The Industrial Revolution's Impact on Periods"
Ready to join the fight for period dignity?
Donate period products at any of our collection sites through May 28
Sign the Period Dignity Pledge to provide free products in your workplace or organization
Register for our Anishinaabe Berry Fast presentation and other events at beltramihistory.org/period
Share this post using #MenstruationHealthWeek to help educate your community
Check out our sponsors who make this event possible at beltramihistory.org/period
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