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The Real Isis
November 21, 2023
Resolutions
November 4, 2023
Kuumba and Community Beautification
December 31, 2016
There has been nothing more troubling in recent years than hearing media and government officials referring to a group that has co-opted the name Isis. For African scholars and those that love African culture, Isis is a sacred deity. She holds a significant place in our culture, much like Mary, Jesus’ mother. It’s use by those who seek to bring harm to others is a direct slap in the face to those of African descent. I will not dignify them by calling out their name. To do so would bring honor to the less than honorable. I feel however, one must challenge this use of a sacred African name, especially HOW it is being used.
Isis is the Greek name for the Goddess Aset. She is the major figure in the story of Osiris (Asar) , Isis (Aset) & Horus (Heru). Why is she significant? There are so many reasons. First, her husband, Osiris was a King of Egypt who was, according to the story, killed by his brother, Set. Many stories of this event cast Set as an individual that ordered Osiris’ body to be cut up and scattered. At the time of his death, Isis was not pregnant. She began to look for her husband and assemble his body parts. Through healing arts she was able to bring his body to life and then conceived Horus. What makes this story significant is that Isis is on Earth and Osiris is a part of the Underworld. (A God at that time). Isis carried and birthed Horus, who came back to defeat Set and avenge his father’s death.
While our account of the story is simplistic (there are many variations depending on the time of the story’s recounting), what is most important is that Isis, who gave birth to a child conceived by God (Holy Mother), has been and continues to be an important deity in Egyptian and African culture. In fact, there are similarities between the Jesus, Mary and Joseph story and the Osiris, Isis and Horus story. Allowing a group of people to destroy Isis’ memory is morally and spiritually wrong. In history, one does not want to look back upon the name Isis and see individuals who behead humans or slaughter and enslave large groups of people.
The Isis we know, is a living legacy of love to her husband. After her husband (and Supreme God) Osiris was killed and chopped up by his brother Set, Isis searched all over to find the pieces of his body to re-attach them and bring him back to life. She found all pieces of his body except one, his penis. Using magical spells, she recreated this missing part and brought her husband back to life. Depending on the version of the story told, it was at this time, after she brought him back to life that she became pregnant with Horus who later grew up to find and defeat Set. His birth was one of the first immaculate conceptions in history, since Osiris was God of the Underworld before Isis conceived Horus (with his help). Isis had dedicated her life to service of her nation and her husband. She was known throughout Egyptian history as a wise and just ruler in Osiris’ absence. She was, and is a shining legacy of love and devotion for adults and children to follow worldwide.
For centuries, before her name was co-opted, the REAL Isis was admired worldwide as a symbol of beauty and a standard of how, a leader, mother and spouse should be.The legacy of death and destruction that follows the group using Isis’ name must not be allowed to overshadow the greatness of this Goddess and her story. Moreover, it is up to us, those who are descendants of this great Goddess, to hold her legacy up for the world to see and admire yet again. Restoring her honor is important to the legacy of everyone on the planet. Let us pray we are up to the task.