About us

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Matriarchy for Future – Festival
July 3 – 6, 2025

Kasteel de Berckt, near Venlo, NL
40 from von Duisburg

Wie alles begann

how it all began …

In Summer 2021, we met for our annual degree program meeting. We are women who have all been trained at the HAGIA Academy as matriarchal studies speakers. 

That weekend there was a climate strike by Fridays for Future and we decided to support the young people and take part in the protest. On the spur of the moment, we spontaneously labelled a sign “Matriarchy for Future». There were about 800 people from the district together. We didn’t expect our cardboard signs scribbled on with pens to have such an effect. Many people raised their thumbs and laughed at us. “The best message of the demonstration!”, “Bravo!” etc.

Encouraged by the goodwill we received, we came up with the idea of introducing young and already committed people to matriarchal values or making them aware of them in the first place. 

And so we started planning a festival that same evening …

the Festival team …

Jeet

Jeet, born in 1968, mother of three children.

I have been involved with women’s history for more than 40 years and have long worked in adult education with this focus. I have been a Kundalini Yoga teacher since 2021 and live with my family. I am a graduate of the Hagia Academy’s major course of study, a consultant for modern matriarchal research and a priestess of the Matriarchal Mystery Festivals. Founder and board member of the Matriarchy for Future association.

Through my great love of wisdom, I like to ask the question:

»… and what if right has always been wrong?« Unknown

www.matakali.de

Ute Grempel

Ute Grempel, I am the mother of a daughter and live in Potsdam.

I am involved as a social worker for inclusion in the context of community psychiatry and also work as a body therapist (ND) in my own practice. For many years I have been researching life-affirming ideas for social change. I am a graduate of the Hagia Academy’s major course of study and a consultant for modern matriarchal research. As a co-founder and board member of the Matriarchy for Future association, I am convinced of this:

»A new world is possible, it is already in the making. On quiet days, you can hear them breathing.«
Arundhati Roy

www.naturheilpraxis-grempel.de

Christina Schlatter

Christina Schlatter, born 1955, married, two children, one grandchild.

Studied in Zurich, worked as an artist and set up a gallery in St. Gallen. Postgraduate studies in information and documentation, head of public services and development of a library for matriarchal research in the cantonal library of St.Gallen. Study program and training as a consultant for matriarchal research. 2011 Co-organisation of a large congress for matriarchal politics in St.Gallen. Member of the board of the HAGIA Academy Sponsors’ Association and the Matriarchy for Future Association. Head of the MatriArchive.

It takes a whole village to grow happy people and take care of our Mother Earth.

www.matriarchiv.info

Gabriele Kapp

Gabriele Kapp

Mother of four children, alternative practitioner.

I am a speaker and mentor for sustainable relationships – professionally and privately. I show committed people and social enterprises how to establish relaxed and successful relationships. I am a graduate of the major study program at the Hagia Academy and a consultant for modern matriarchal research. My credo is very practical:

»No roots, no wings!« Bertold Ulsamer

www.gabrielekapp.com

Sibylle

Sibylle

Born in Switzerland in 1980, mother of a four-year-old daughter.

I have been working with children for 20 years, currently as an after-school care manager and kindergarten teacher. I am a qualified primary school teacher and have a Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences in Ethnology and Prehistoric Archaeology. I have been a consultant for matriarchal research since 2011.

»Sei du selbst, so ist die Welt reich und schön!« (Hermann Hesse)

»Alles, was wir tun, wird ein Teil von uns« (Afrikanisches Sprichwort)

Iris Baumann

Iris Baumann, daughter, mother and grandmother.

Teacher and principal in Wiesbaden until 2019. Training in transactional analysis, couples and sexual counselling, yoga teacher. For 20 years she has been leading sister circles, women’s temples and annual festivals. Regular organisation and implementation of lectures, seminar days and weekends. Since 2022 Consultant for modern matriarchal research according to the guidelines of the International Academy HAGIA (www.hagia.de).

I would like to spread knowledge about matriarchal forms of society and contribute to revitalising this form of society that is so important to us.

www.institut-matriarchatswissen.de

Gunnel Hinrichsen

Gunnel Hinrichsen, born in Schleswig in 1947, mother of two daughters.

After studying in Hamburg and Tübingen, I worked as a teacher in NRW. After I retired, my studies with Heide Goettner-Abendroth made me realise that capitalism is only a sub-problem of the patriarchal rule that has existed for a good 5,000 years. For years, I have been campaigning for a women’s labyrinth to be created in Dortmund as a meeting place and path of life. I am a graduate of the major study program at the Hagia Academy and a consultant for modern matriarchal research. In my opinion:

»We should have learned not to focus on what divides us, but on what unites us!«
Hanna Melzer

Ingrid Ahrend-Vo

Ingrid Ahrend-Vo, born in 1951, retired, mother of three children.

All my life I have been active in the recognition and fair valuation of domestic and family work. I laid a stone in the women’s memorial labyrinth for the women of the Mütterzentrum as a representative of Hildegard Schooß. After living for several years mainly in Ecuador as a social family member with an indigenous family, I returned to Germany at the beginning of 2023 and live in Ahorn in northern Bavaria. I am a graduate of the Hagia Academy’s major study program and a consultant for modern matriarchal research as well as a board member of the Matriarchy for Future association.

There is life in abundance for all, because, and I quote Dr. Heide Goetter-Abendroth, »Patriarchy is not a law of nature«.

Astrid Walser

Astrid Walser, adult educator, body and painting therapist, artistic designer, feminist, mother and grandmother.

For many years, she was a co-founder, founder, board member and office manager of various feminist women’s organisations in Liechtenstein; Head of the State Scholarships Office; Seminar leader and speaker on women-specific topics «Discover the Gene of Eve»; artistic activity as a designer of female figures and objects made of clay and textiles.

»Today’s women don’t wait for the miraculous – they perform their own miracles.«
(Katherine Hepburn)

www.genofeva.li

MATRIARCHY LIVES

 »Everything comes from the mother, the house and the land. If there is a separation, we still have the house and the property to protect the children.«

Yesi, 2019 (Minangkabau woman, West Sumatra, Indonesia)

»We don’t feel oppressed. It is our tradition that is passed on from generation to generation. We are proud of our culture.«

Balajied, 2018 (Khasi man, Meghalaya, India)

Quote from a woman and a man from two contemporary matriarchal societies.
The photo books «Matriarchs» 1 + 2 with many pictures and information are available on Maria Haas’ website.

Khasi-Mann, Meghalaya, Indien - © Maria Haas, Matriarchinnen 1
Mosuo-Männer, Yunnan, Südwestchina - © Maria Haas, Matriarchinnen 1
Junger Mann der Bijagos, Guinea-Bissau - © Maria Haas, Matriarchinnen 2

HEAL(ING) THE EARTH

Magic does not mean manipulation of nature which is often misunderstood. Magic means an intensive interaction with the forces of nature because people see themselves as part of creation and want to contribute to the well-being of people and nature through their actions. It goes without saying that Mother Earth is sacred; an environmental catastrophe of this magnitude would never be possible. Matriarchy for Future – this is our path to a better future.