Belly Dancer Shahina

Shahina
Why I Am Shahina

by Shahina

Shahina is not the name I was born with. I choose to use it because it speaks to my soul. The name “Shahina” means “the falconess”  and the vision of it inspires me in a multitude of ways.

A falconess is beautiful yet fierce, soft but powerful, delicate yet strong, graceful but wild, free yet responsible, independent but loyal. A falconess rules the sky, still she is grounded, always returning to earth to her falconer and to care for her young. She sees everything around her clearly over great distances. She never gets lost. She knows her place in the world and uses her gifts in the right ways.

In my many encounters with Arabic men I have discovered that they seem uncomfortable with my chosen name. Upon several occasions they have put considerable effort into convincing me to change it. They offer alternatives with cutsie meanings like “princess,” “pretty one,” “lucky, “happy,” and “gazelle.” I am convinced that they feel threatened by a woman who aspires to the characteristics suggested by the name “Shahina.” I have steadfastly refused to change it.

 “Shahina” means too much to just give over. I am only one American born belly dancer, but Shahina is much bigger than that. In America I am free to dance in public or in private. I am free to wear whatever I deem appropriate to dance in and on the street. I am free to choose my friends, my career, my religion. I am free vote, to marry or not, to give birth or to remain childless. The only limit to my freedom is my own willingness to accept responsibility for and consequences of the choices I make.

Across the face of this planet, many women are deprived of some or all of these freedoms that I enjoy and sometimes take for granted. They are oppressed by laws, walls, dogma, tradition, politics, stigma or perhaps their own self-imposed barriers of fear and self doubt. Their wings are clipped, they  are hooded and tethered, but they are all still falconesses. The instinct to fly remains alive, however deeply it is buried. “Shahina” soars for those who can’t. “Shahina” flies so that a discouraged woman can look to the sky and feel inspiration, hope and longing and let those feelings grow until she can find the strength to fly herself.

Related Links
The poem Shahina (The Falconess)
More about names
Shahina's resume
Shahina's photo album
More of Shahina's opinions

Copyright © 2006 by Shahina All rights reserved.