Caroline Icardo

Flowers, Stones

"Flowers, Stones” pictures the Somalian legend of Queen Arawelo from 15 ce. She was fed up with the men ruling the community who were lazy, violent, and trouble making. The story says that she led a protest to make men do the housework, castrated all the men in the village, and put women in positions of power. She has a tomb where passersby will throw various objects depending on their view of her. Men throw rocks at the tomb, women put flowers.