The dark, red face of an eclipsed moon is a sign of a tree somewhere in the world turned into a woman.
Every girl fears the curse of never being a woman, but without cursed girls, women would not be able to hold the power they do.
Women believe that full-belly is a spirit that causes their stomachs to turn lump-nuts into babies.
The women of the river villages believe lump-nuts to be the cause of pregnancy--an erroneous view that is not entirely without reason.
Every village has its moon talisman, a round white stone representing the moon's blessing on a new village.
At the core of women's lunar worship is a simple ceremony in which they present their desires to the moon.
A solemn ceremony initiates new grandmothers into a secret society dedicated to preserving their civilization.
Girls who recount the legend of how the moon made the world don't know that this tale was once a eulogy for a gifted storyteller.
How the sunfeather bird came to wear its flame-colored feathers.
A mischief-minded spirit visits dreams with the intent to further trouble already uneasy minds.
As girls and women reach new stages in life, they learn more about their culture and the part they must play in its survival.
