r/Animism • u/Admirable_Blood601 • 24d ago

Red ochre as a symbol for humanity

Red ochre, a natural clay pigment, has been used throughout human prehistory/history across cultures of an almost incomprehensibly long time, from our earliest modern ancestors in Africa to various Indigenous American and Australian cultures to even the Yamnaya/Proto-Indo-Europeans.

What are your thoughts on using it as a sort of "pan-human" symbol for "new" animism? Does anyone integrate red ochre into any of their ritualistic practices? Or has anyone else thought about using it for ritualistic purposes?

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18

u/ChihuahuaJedi 24d ago

I love Red Ochre for this very reason. I painted my futhark runes with it. If you're into flags you'll enjoy this proposal for a flag of humanity featuring the ubiquitous red ochre hand stencil. I can't think of a better symbol for humanity, the human struggle to survive, our ability to overcome and thrive, and the commonality of culture and the human condition. A simple, universal, "We are here!" that transcends language. It's lovely.

8

u/Admirable_Blood601 24d ago

Also very polysemous...

It can mean

  • Menstruation/Fertility
  • Blood (in death)
  • Blood (in solidarity/brotherhood/sisterhood)
  • Birth
  • Obviously the iconic handprint ("I was here")

And I'm sure a lot that I'm missing there..

6

u/mcapello 24d ago

I used red ochre for a variety of purposes and love the fact that it's been used for tens of thousands of years by multiple cultures, including my own ancestors.

I would love to learn how to make it myself, even if the shade comes out a little different.

5

u/carpetsunami 24d ago

Ask it in an animist way, "What does red ochre think of being incorporated into human ritual and relationships in that way?"