Celebration Of Age: The Croning Ceremony

Although popular imagination has it that crones are witch-like figures with large warts at the end of their noses, a grass roots movement across the country is gladly taking up the mantle of "crone," and celebrating women who are entering their golden years. This low-budget program interviews activists and participants in ceremonies where older women are crowned or presented with shawls, often honored by daughters, and inducted into cronehood with dance, music, singing, and stories. While I'm not completely convinced that age ipso facto brings wisdom (there are more than a few geriatric alcoholics out there of both genders), I do agree that society's insistence on placing youth and beauty on a pedestal has left many elderly women unfairly on the fringe. Still, it would have been more interesting to hear more great stories rather than simply hearing over and over that older women tell wonderful tales. An uneven program, hampered by some technical drawbacks, the tape still has enough to recommend it as an optional purchase for larger collections. (R. Pitman)