Sheela-na-Gig and the Hunky Punks

[vovat]

After my recent post about the Green Man, vilajunkie suggested that I take a look at the female equivalent, the Sheela na Gig. I actually don't think I'd heard of them before, but they're basically carvings of women (often hags) flashing their vulvae at passers-by. Like the Green Men, they're usually found on churches, which seems a bit contrary to the general hatred of female sexuality in Christianity. They're found primarily on the British Isles, but sometimes on the European continent as well, and some people speculate that they were continental first. While there doesn't seem to be any particular connection between the Green Man and the Sheela na Gig other than both being church carvings, the theories about their origins are similar. It's commonly believed that they're remnants of paganism, warnings against lust, or just figures to ward off evil spirits. While reading the Wikipedia article on the carvings, I came across a reference to Hunky Punks, which are essentially gargoyles that serve no architectural purpose (gargoyles themselves being drainage spouts, and hence practical as well as decorative). I figured there had to be a band with that name, and it looks like there might be, and they have something to do with Harry Potter. At least, when I did a Google search, I came up with this page, which mentions "Patrick of the Hunky Punks." For that matter, Sheela na Gig kind of sounds like she should be a badass female musician. There apparently is a PJ Harvey song called "Sheela Na Gig," but I've never heard it.



The picture shows one of the most famous Sheela na Gig, which can be found at Kilpeck Church in England. Is it just me, or does the face remind anyone else of E.T.? Or maybe it's a grown-up version of the baby from Eraserhead.

Comments

[yosef.livejournal.com]

I feel like there were some magical water creatures called hinky pinks in Harry Potter. I think they got in Harry's way when had to dive into the Lake in the fourth book.

[auronsgirl.livejournal.com]

They were called hinkypunks, but the movie didn't portray them as they were in folklore, opting to go for more of a Jenny Greenteeth treatment for the creatures.

[vovat.livejournal.com]

Too bad the kids didn't realize that Jenny Greenteeth can be taken out with a well-placed hit from a frying pan.

[vilajunkie.livejournal.com]

Ha! Lovely Discworld insert there! Hinky Punks are a local variation on the Will-o'-the-Wisp, as AG mentioned. Katharine Briggs writes about them in her fairy dictionary, and they might actually have one foot as the Harry Potter books say, I don't remember.

[ozma914.livejournal.com]

"E.T. ... phone my pimp."

[burningofroissy.livejournal.com]

Sheela na Gigs kick ass, although I do have to agree with you about the face. Also, her vulva extends down past her knees; I'm sure it was carved that way for visibility's sake, but it still looks a tad odd. Hey, maybe that's who these (http://failblog.org/2009/04/24/design-fail-2/) were made for!

[vovat.livejournal.com]

Maybe she's the female counterpart of the goatse.cx guy. {g}

[auronsgirl.livejournal.com]

Is it just me, or does the face remind anyone else of E.T.?

Noooooo...it's not just you. Though the thought of E.T. having a vulva to flash is a bit disturbing.

[vovat.livejournal.com]

We don't really know anything about the sexuality of his species, do we?

[suegypt.livejournal.com]

I love PJ's song, off her first. The sheela-na-gig was, I thought, just a vagina/womb, reducing the female to her female-est-ness, as males are regularly reduced to the vernacular cock/balls. Just has a primitive face slapped on there to indicate humanity in the most rudimentary form. And to taunt the viewer. I think it meant to warn women that this is what's "inside" them, their innate sexuality, and that there's nothing pretty about it. No wonder it comes from the Church.

The Baby always looked like a calf's head to me, eyes not at all wide open in a daring, taunting stare. Although, there was plenty of threatened (and disturbing) sexual implications in the scenes between Henry and *his* Baby. I need that on DVD.

[vovat.livejournal.com]

The dirty part of my mind has to suspect that Sheela might get along well with this guy:

[suegypt.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I bet! What do you 'spose is his name? Or would it matter to a sheela?

[vilajunkie.livejournal.com]

I think that's a modern interpretation of a tiki/moai.

Sheela-Na-Gig, Sheela-Na-Gig, You Exhibitionist!!!!!!

[suegypt.livejournal.com]

I figured he was probably a tiki, but is he a certain one, with a name?

Re: Sheela-Na-Gig, Sheela-Na-Gig, You Exhibitionist!!!!!!

[vovat.livejournal.com]

Tiki Tommy?

Okay, probably not.

Re: Sheela-Na-Gig, Sheela-Na-Gig, You Exhibitionist!!!!!!

[suegypt.livejournal.com]

Tiki Tungee?

Re: Sheela-Na-Gig, Sheela-Na-Gig, You Exhibitionist!!!!!!

[vovat.livejournal.com]

Dr. Tongue?

Re: Sheela-Na-Gig, Sheela-Na-Gig, You Exhibitionist!!!!!!

[suegypt.livejournal.com]

sne-sne-sne-yesssssssssssssssssttttthhhhh...

[chhinnamasta.livejournal.com]

No, dude, I definitely see E.T.

I love how happy she is! To my eye, she seems celebratory.

[vovat.livejournal.com]

I suppose sexuality IS something to celebrate.

[rockinlibrarian.livejournal.com]

Is it just me, or does the face remind anyone else of E.T.? Or maybe it's a grown-up version of the baby from Eraserhead.

My husband walking by at that moment and glimpsing the picture immediately said "Alien baby!" so you're not far off.

[vilajunkie.livejournal.com]

I know "Sheela" means "girl/woman" in Australian lingo, similar to the American "babe", but I don't know if it has the same connotation in Ireland and England. I believe there are occasionally Sheelas with leaves sprouting from their vulvae, thus resembling the Green Men more.

[vovat.livejournal.com]

The Wikipedia article says that the most likely derivations of the "Sheela" part are "Sighle" (apparently meaning "hag") or "Sile" (the Irish version of the name Cecilia).