The Swan-Bone Flute

By Rachel O'Leary

In Dark Ages Britain, strong women struggle to protect the forest and their freedoms. Storytelling inspires them to stand up to the greed that’s groping its way in ...

Ursel jumps down from an oak to scare a mother deer away from the hunters. Her uncle beats her with his spear-butt. How dare she defy him? He needs ve

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bog Oak Publishing
• Release date: Apr 8, 2020
• ISBN: 9781916073814

Rachel O'Leary

Rachel O'Leary: I tell stories for groups in museums and schools, at festivals and celebrations. I've told in a freezing fen, a smoky roundhouse, village halls and pubs. At a local eisteddfodd I was awarded the title: Chief Skald of Suffolk, Storytelling. As a Breastfeeding Counsellor, I work with two charities supporting families to breastfeed their babies if they want to. I witness the transformative power of compassion when we tell our own experiences in supportive groups and one to one; and listen deeply. I am involved with wildlife and ecology groups, hands-on planting trees, plus national activism for our climate and nature. Sometimes it's hard for us to work together; class and culture can divide us. What helps? Telling our stories...! I envision a future where people value mothering as the guiding principle of all social life. Humans can share resources equitably; ensure every child is fed and cared for; live in peace with each other and with nature. This model is based on the lived experience of indigenous peoples who have generously shared their wisdom in books and film. Archaeology and anthropology confirm that this is our human heritage. I have found evidence for matriarchy also in Celtic and Anglo-Saxon history. The Swan-Bone Flute presents these findings in story form. I studied History and Social and Political Studies at Cambridge University, UK. We students aimed to change the world. Sorry we've been a bit slow. Let's do it now! https://racheloleary.co.uk