WOMEN OF STEEL

sqrible (45)in #steemit • 7 years ago (edited)

As we celebrate International Women's Day, i would like to celebrate and acknowledge two great women with nerves of steel from different cultures in an almost similar events in history. These women stood their grounds to fight for what they believed in even when all odds were against them. And when i say "fight", i mean it in literal terms. These women had no quit in them. I call them: Women of steel, masters of courage, symbol of bravery and an embodiment of strength.

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Now that is Obaa Hemaa Yaa Asantewaa; The Queen Mother of EJISU, the woman with the courage of a thousand men, the defeater of armies, the woman with the heart of a lion with nerves curved from the heart of the stone of the Oracle. This brave woman led a rebellion. A rebellion known in history as the "The War of the Golden Stool". This war was against British Colonialism.

In 1900, Colonel Frederick Hodgson, a British colonial governor called a meeting in Kumasi and asked the Ashanti local rulers surrender the Golden Stool. In fear of the Ashanti King, Prempeh the 1st exile, the local rulers gathered to consider the request of governor Hodgson. The rulers, who were men, considered giving up the Golden stool; a symbol of authority and power of the Ashanti's.

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Yaa Asantewa, The Queen mother of Ejisu, noticed the fear in the local male rulers and stood up and made this declaration in the presence of the Ashanti local rulers. She said :

"If you, the strong rulers of Ashanti will not go forward to defend our empire, then we will. We the women of Ashanti will. I will call upon our brave women and we will fight. We will fight with all our strength till the last of us fall in battle!"

This powerful statement made the Ashanti's wage a war against the British led by Yaa Asantewa. One woman, made a whole empire stand on its feet again. That's the strength of a woman. That was the voice of a heroine. And the battle of the Golden Stool contributed to the independence of the Ashanti Kingdom from the British.

And another very strong and daring woman; Gráinne O'Mhaol or Grace O'Malley - The Irish Pirate Queen. Her story is very much similar to that of Yaa Asantewa. I once has a voice chat with @beanz on VOTU , and if she could remember, she told me all about Grace O'Malley and in turn told her about Yaa Asantewaa and how similar both stories are.

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Grace O'Malley broke family tradition just to be part of her families sailing crew. She had to cut her hair and dress like a man. And by that doing, she got the chance to be part of the crew. This act landed her the name; Grainuileor Grainne Mhaol, which in Irish means " Grace the Baldy or Bald Grace".

Grace married from the clan O'Flaherty its leader. Her husband was deceased which made Grace gain control over lands and fleet of ships. As a skilled sailor and a ruthless and intelligent leader, Grace led her clan in clashes with Turkish, British and Spanish pirates. A female with such skill and bravery like Grace was rare. She was indeed fearless.

She once met Queen Elizabeth I. And she met her as a fellow Queen refusing to bow down to Her Royal Highness because she was also a Queen. This would've meant an execution for Grace but Queen Elizabeth seeing the bravery and composure of the Irish Pirate Queen, couldn't order an arrest. It was said that Grace threw a handkerchief given to her by Queen Elizabeth I into a fire close to her after spiting on it. She got nerves right? Now that's Grace O'Malley for you. Fearless.

Visit this link https://steemit.com/history/@beanz/the-irish-pirate-queen-grainne-o-mhaol to read more about this amazing woman.

There's even a song about Grace O'Malley by Cathie Ryan. Listen to it below.

Shoutouts to @beanz , @sykochica and all the super women on steemit. Cheers

@sqrible #teamghana #teamaccra

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7 years ago in #steemit by sqrible (45)

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masterroshi (57) 7 years ago

Wi remember learning about these ladies in sone personal research. They are great role models for a generation in need of people with little fear and a sense of justice.

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