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Henna
- Mehandi - Mehndi
A plant growing in arid regions spreading from Morocco to Tibet.
The dried leaves, medicinal in quality, are mixed to form a dye
paste which brings down body temperature and draws toxins from the
skin. Leaves and roots are used to dye the hair, fingernails, and
to create designs on the skin.
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Maren
Amdal's henna, my foot.
Strange
relative of rosemaling?
From Art-a-Whirl,
2005
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As
a Celto-Scandinavian American, my ancestors used plant
dyes on their skin to adorn, mark social status, as rites
of passage and in ceremony and ritual. This was often wode
(creating blue pigment). When I got my first henna tattoo
from Judy Ostrowski (Mehndi Moon)
at the Winnipeg
Folk Festival in 2000.
I felt connected to my Viking Ancestors. They
traveled from Scandinavia down to the Black Sea up through
Morocco, down the Volga and into Baghdad. They would have
come into contact with Henna and may even have traded their
amber, ivory, and furs for the plant material. Viking knot
work designs would have influenced and been influenced by
the Arab and African worlds they encountered.
The Vikings
even went into North America...and here I was 1000 years later
laying under the Canadian sky
trading rune readings
for my first Henna!
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| As
a ritualist I quickly saw
the benefit of learning to use henna. After all, Henna has been
used as part of ritual life for at least 3 thousand years! Marking
our bodies with designs shows the outward expression of an inward
spiritual movement. More about spirit
and fashion. A henna artist is included at every Discovering
Origins/Building Traditions show. More |
As
an herbalist I am attracted
to the henna plant for it's medicinal qualities. A dessert plant,
the leaves make a paste that cools and drops body temperature.
Perfect for bringing "hot flashes" or "power
surges" into balance. It draws out poisons and decreases
swelling. I have used it directly on bee stings and sun burn. |
As
a visual artist - Henna is an incredible tool! Especially
with small children. It is safe, nontoxic, healing, and is one
of the only things that causes my youngest son to sit very still
and quiet for a good long while.
I also use it to decorate and stain runes,
drum heads, and other objects. |
For
Private Appointments and Parties:
email
karitauring@yahoo.com or call 612-729-4019 USA
A Good
Site For Henna
Info
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